Where There's Will, There's A Way
by smartyjonescrzy
Summary: Any Will Benteen fans out there? I thought it was time my favorite character got some recognition. Plights and trifles at Tara, a controversial decision is made, and two people find love in an unexpected place. Rated T for adultery, themes and language.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the characters, events, dialogue, or settings used here that I drew from (mainly) Margaret Mitchell's 'Gone With The Wind,' Alexandra Ripley's 'Scarlett,' and Donald McCaig's 'Rhett Butler's People.' I am just a huge fan of GWTW and thought that a story for my personal favorite character, Will Benteen, was long overdue. Hope you all enjoy and please review! :D ~ smarty

Dedicated to the wonderful actor Ray McKinnon, who more than did Will justice in the otherwise horrid television miniseries, 'Scarlett.'

* * *

**Where There's Will, There's A Way**

PROLOGUE

"Looks like Will's taken right po'ly."

Eliot turned to look at the man laid across the pommel of Kinlan's saddle. Their fellow comrade from the Confederate Florida infantry had fallen into a delirium that only the seriously ill possess. They should know. During the war, they had seen too many men in Will's condition disappear behind the medical tents at camp, never to be seen again. It looked to the two men that Will would soon be joining them.

"If we could jus' drap him off somewhere's where somebody 'ld take care o' him..." Kinlan's voice trailed off. Will had been a close friend of his during the war. To see him in this pathetic state was almost too much for the embittered veteran to stand. "Damn it, I'm not gonna jus' let him die on my saddle!" He patted the homely little donkey he'd been granted after the surrender.

"Don't know if we'll make it 'n time," Eliot muttered, glancing at the signature chimneys sticking out atop the all-too familiar ruined plantation houses. "Looks like Sherman didn't spare these parts."

"Almost forgot. I've been up north far too long."

All three of the men had fought under General Lee until they had been captured at Gettysburg. They had spent the last few years in a Yankee prison camp. To them, Hell itself couldn't have been worse. When the unsettling news of Appomattox reached them, only one thought had flashed through their minds: Home. They were going home.

Eliot looked over his shoulder. "Thought I heard wheels a-turnin' behind us."

"Don't nobody but Carpetbaggers an' de Scalawags got wagons anymore."

"Hesh! Mout be someone who lives 'round here."

Both men cocked their ears for the noise. Sure enough, there were hoofbeats and wheels rolling behind them. A hearty negro voice accompanied the sounds, bellowing a melody to the world:

"_Hurrah! Hurrah! We bring the jubilee;_

_Hurrah! Hurrah! The flag that makes you free!_

_So we sang the chorus from Atlanta to the sea..."_

"Pull over, Kinlan. They's no-account folks." Eliot shuddered as the black man's voice brought that dreadful song to his ears. Anyone who sang such an awful song as 'Marching Through Georgia' ought to be hanged!

"I'll wave 'em down, all the same." Kinlan tugged at the too-short faded blue coat he'd picked off a dead Yankee and gingerly patted the man hung over his saddle. "They mout give Will here some help."

"Kinlan, you mad? Ain't no Yankees gonna he'p a Confedrut nohow."

"Eliot, not all Yankees can be that bad."

"Not after the war! You caint jus' turn around an' act lak they din' do nuthin'!"

Kinlan gave his comrade a long, tired look. "The war is over."

"That's what you thinks."

Over the rise of the hill came a well-groomed, handsome horse the men hadn't seen the likes of since before the war. Silver bells decorated his fine harness as he toted the slickest, shiniest rig in the country. A man with a fierce, sharp, unfriendly face was driving the rig in a finely tailored suit of clothes. Sitting beside him was a free-issue negro the man had invited for a drive. A member of the newly appointed Freedman's Bureau, it was Jonas Wilkerson's job to set an example of treating the darkies as equals.

The bearded, lice-infested men on the side of the road waved the man down. _Southerners_, the man thought disgustedly as he reluctantly slowed to a halt.

Kinlan swept his hand out in gratitude. Wilkerson refused to touch it.

Eliot walked up and placed a hand on the body slung over his friend's saddle. "Got any room in your carriage for a dying man?"

Weren't so high and mighty anymore, were they? Those insolent planters. Never again would they turn their noses up at Jonas Wilkerson! Frowning, he raised himself to his full height.

"I got no room for any Southern scum, alive or dead! Get out of the way, you rebels! Out of the way!"

Eliot's face hardened. "I'd rather he tried walking at that."

"Get up!" Wilkerson slashed his horse with the whip, who started into action as Eliot jumped out of the road. As the carriage disappeared in a cloud of dust, the negro man turned to his driver contemptuously. "Humph. Acts like they won the war..."

Kinlan spat in their direction before prodding his donkey down the road.

Eventually, the men found themselves traveling down a winding drive, hoping they would find an intact house at the end. Will was slipping fast. They were well-off the main tract. Though they didn't word their concerns, the two men had hopes that this path had been too far out of the way for Sherman's men to bother.

Eliot raised his hands in relief as the plantation house came into view. It was small, considering, and was homely in architecture. It had a simple slate roof with a row of columns that covered an expansive front porch over the two-story brick house. The men glanced at the surrounding fields. This place had probably once been a fine cotton plantation. But wilderness was slowly overtaking some of the back acres.

There was a horse tied to the front of the house. Good. That meant someone lived here.

Kinlan looked down at the defunct form on his saddle. This couldn't have happened a moment too soon. Perhaps their friend would be given a chance.

Slowly, the men stopped and carried Will up the front steps, placing him carefully on the porch.

"So long, partner." Kinlan saluted the man before turning his donkey back up the drive.

With that, they left Will Benteen, half-dead of pneumonia, lying at the foot of the Clayton County, Georgia home that forever changed his life.


	2. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

"_Melanie Wilkes has died. I shall be returning to Tara as soon as I can._

_-Scarlett"_

Suellen O'Hara Benteen read the note over her husband's shoulder and frowned. "What does she want? Scarlett hasn't been home since she was sick after that miscarriage of hers. Can't say I'm happy she's all right. But now she has to come out here because she's tired of hosting her lavish parties with all her Carpetbagger friends in that...that _mansion _of hers in Atlanta? Tara is not hers and I shall let it be known!"

Will patted her arm. "Don't get so riled up, Sue. After all, Scarlett's been through an awful lot. I don't want you causin' touble soon's she pulls into Jonesboro."

Katie Scarlett O'Hara Hamilton Kennedy Butler had been married three times, widowed twice, and was on the verge of a divorce. Her complexion and outward appearance were her mother's, a Savannah Robillard with French heritage. Her set jaw and flashing green eyes belonged to Gerald O'Hara, her florid Irish father who had built Tara and became a Georgia planter by the lift of his own bootstraps. Her two children, Wade Hampton and Ella Lorena, lived at Tara with their Uncle Will and Aunt Suellen, as well as their cousins, Susie, Martha, and Jane. Scarlett passionately loved Tara. Her two-year absence was the longest she'd ever been gone.

Suellen heartily detested her older sister. Scarlett had always been prettier. She'd always had more beaux. After the war, she had been Mistress of Tara and bossed her around. And, most of all, she had stolen Suellen's only beau, Frank Kennedy, right from under her nose and married him. Though Scarlett had always declared that no one in their right minds would marry "that old maid in britches," he had run into her when she was in Atlanta trying to beg three hundred dollars for Tara's taxes from Rhett Butler. When he wouldn't give it to her, she had quickly discovered Frank Kennedy could. Though Frank was soon killed in a Klan raid on a shantytown where Scarlett had been attacked, Suellen never forgave her sister for this act of treachery.

In turn, Scarlett hated her sister, Suellen. It had seemed to her, growing up, that Suellen always whined. Scarlett hated whining because it was to her a form of weakness. She couldn't stand people who were weak, and Suellen had always been weak, nagging, and frightfully jealous of her. Scarlett couldn't see why Will had ever married Suellen. To Scarlett, she wasn't the least bit pretty, and a pain in every sense of the word.

Will Benteen sighed whenever he thought of it. He wished the two sisters could learn to get along. Scarlett didn't see Suellen's sweeter side, which Will had grown to notice in an offbeat sort of way. But his wife was never this way around Scarlett. A lifetime of resentment had permanently severed the ties between the two.

Nothing was ever said about their baby sister, Carreen. Will had been sweet on her as she had been the one that nursed him to health. But he quickly realized that she cared for him only as a brother. A few months later, she left for Charleston to join the convent. Scarlett never forgave her for it.

"Don't bother her, Scarlett," Will had warned. "Prayin' comforts her."

Scarlett still muttered that if Carreen had had half a mind, she would have recognized Will's feelings and married him. Will disagreed. "She never got over that beau of hers, Brent or other, who got killed at Gettysburg. No, Scarlett, she ain't one of those. She won't never get over him. I hear her prayin' for your Ma and Pa and her sweetheart every day. Truth is, Scarlett, I pity her."

Scarlett, who then couldn't think of anything but where their next meal was coming from, turned her hungry cat's eyes toward him in a puzzled expression. "You, Will, pity her? God's nightgown! Why?"

"I was at Gettysburg, you know. 'N when I done told her that, she lit up like a firecracker. She asks everyone she knows what been at Gettysburg whether they knew somethin' 'bout her beau. But I couldn't help her, Scarlett. I may have been under General Lee, but I was in the Florida regiment. I never saw hide nor hair of the Georgia men, much less the cavalry. She pulled this long face like, and you could see jus' how much she really cared for this Brent fellow. They became engaged last time he visited on furlough, she told me. Scarlett, it just made me wanna cry."

Will set the telegram down on Tara's kitchen table. "'S cryin' shame 'bout Miss Melly, though. Ain't a finer lady ever existed."

Suellen nodded quietly. Whenever she had become too overly distressed with Scarlett, Melanie had been there to quiet her and make her see the sense of things. The only thing she held against dear, sweet Melanie, was the way she always took up for Scarlett. Melanie loved Scarlett ardently, refusing to acknowledge the imperfections of her beloved friend. "I'll say this for her. She always sought out the goodness in a man."

Will nodded. "Reckon she was too good for this world. She died pure." He shook his head in admiration and stumped over to the door.

Will was a slim, lanky figure with pale-pinkish hair and blue eyes that never lost their calm and placid state. Nothing ever seemed to surprise Will. He could read people easily and knew a thousand things about them without ever being told. Before the war, he had been a South Georgia Cracker with a small plot of land and had owned two slaves. He didn't have any folks, excepting a sister who lived in Texas with her husband and three kids. And he was downright certain his slaves had gone and his land overtaken by wilderness. But this didn't bother Will. Nothing ever did. Not even the leg he left behind in Virginia. He'd gotten used to stumping around on his roughly-whittled peg. But he was an excellent farmer, and had grown quite attached to Tara. A sallow, homely man, he was a devout Baptist and never comfortable in anything but his work shirt, butternut trousers, and battered farm hat.

As he stepped outside and waved to Big Sam, Will never could help but use a second to take in the beauty of Tara. The back of the house looked over the rolling red hills onto rows and rows of cottonseed. Will grinned. A couple of more years and Tara would be producing a decent-sized crop. The proud orchard of pomegranate trees swayed in the light, dawn breeze. Almost all of the fences Sherman had destroyed were repaired. The meathouse and equipment shed had once been cabins used as negroes' quarters. A couple of others were used to store the cotton crop once it was harvested. The well sat proudly, close to the front of the lawn, around the side. Then there was the garden patch, which was beginning to flourish. Soon, Tara would be comfortably self-sufficient, a state she hadn't known since '61. In the barn were Tara's milk cow, a couple of shoats, the riding and carriage horse Scarlett had taken possession of after killing a Yankee deserter, and two workhorses used to plow Tara's fields. A couple of chickens cawed as the scuttled across the yard. The entire lot reaped prosperity, when just a few short years before, it was poverty-stricken.

Will smiled at all his work. "Just you wait, girl. I'll make you into a finer farm than you ever was." He stumped off the back porch and made his way over to Big Sam, Tara's overseer.

The black giant of a man grinned down at Will and gestured behind him. "Howdy, Mist' Will. Ev'ryone's here 'n ready ter work."

There was once a time when Tara owned hundreds of slaves. That day had long since come to pass. Now, only the deeply loyal ones remained. Dilcey, Prissy, and Pork, as well as Wade, aided Will in the fields. All the negroes had once been house servants, so they did not know much about menial field hand's work. But Dilcey was a diligent worker, and Pork was more loyal than any negro around. Though he was prideful, boasting of being 'Mist' Gerald's valet,' Will was the only one who could coax work out of him. Prissy, Dilcey's child, was a pitiful little thing as she wasn't much good at anything she turned her hand to. Dilcey, who was half Native American, was always apologizing for the girl. "Mist' Will, Ah'm sorry mah Prissy's so wuthless. Look lak she all nigger, lak her paw." It was Dilcey's threats that frightened the sullen Prissy into reluctant work.

Mammy was the only one of Tara's servants that was spared field work. Recently returned from serving as housemaid at the Butler family's Atlanta home, Mammy spent most of her days resting peacefully in her chambers behind the kitchen. "Ah done served Miss Ellen down in Savannah, Miss Scarlett at Tara, an' little Miss Bonnie down in 'Lanta. Three generations o' dis fambly's girls. Time fo' me ter lay down mah weery load n' let de good Lawd tek care o' me." Suellen made it a point that the children never bother Mammy.

Wade Hampton Hamilton, now thirteen years old, became more and more the image of his father, Charles, with every passing day. He was just as shy and timid as Charles was, and forever afraid of thunder. It reminded him too much of the cannon and shelling that petrified him as a little boy during the war. He involuntarily winced every time he heard a sharp voice, to boot. Sharp voices were forever linked in his memory with Yankees, most of all the voice of his mother: "Be a little man, Wade!" "Stop that hiccoughing, you're driving mother crazy!" "Hush, Wade! After all, they're only a passel of damn Yankees!"

As a child, Wade had always panicked when he'd heard these sounds as his terrified mind thought the Yankees were coming to get him and run their bayonets through his stomach. No bogeyman could ever make Wade scared. He had grown up in the hell of wartime, and no imaginary threats would ever make him tremble again.

Wade deeply admired his father's gallantry, Scarlett never having the heart to tell him Charles died of diseases incurred at camp before ever seeing active service. He considered Rhett a second father and boasted of Rhett's 'battle wound' he had received at the Battle of Franklin. He also looked up to his Uncle Will, whose amazing trade skills and work ethic he longed to have. As a result, he helped Will and the negroes put in an honest day's work running Tara.

Though they were short of hands, Will could do the work of two full-task field hands in one day. But this didn't matter to him or anyone else. Everything that needed doing got done. Tara was prospering. To Will, that was all that mattered.

* * *

Scarlett sighed and composed herself as her train pulled into Jonesboro's station. Melanie's funeral had been the hardest yet to bear. Bonnie was gone. Melly was gone. Rhett was gone. She no longer wanted Ashley. There was nothing left for her but Tara.

She hoped that her beloved home would give her the strength to put her life back in order. Slowly, she stepped off the train and searched the platform for Will. She was dressed in crepe, all black with the exception of her mother's onyx brooch. Mourning garb for her daughter and her friend. The friend she never knew she had until it was too late.

She could see it as if it were happening all over again. The tiny, pine coffin, too small to hold an ordinary being, being lifted and carried out to Atlanta's cemetery. This couldn't be Melly, it couldn't! She saw the look of utter torment on Ashley Wilkes' face as his wife was carefully lowered into the ground beside her brother Charles. His son, Beau, clung fearfully to his coat, crying out for his mother. The sickening thud as the clods of dirt hit Melly's coffin echoed a refrain in her mind. No, she couldn't lose Melly now, not when she just realized how much she needed her!

Scarlett shook her head vehemently. _Mustn't think about that now! I'll go crazy if I do! I'll think about it tomorrow! _She arranged a small, sad smile on her face and stood patiently on the platform.

Craning his head to spot his charge through the stream of passengers exiting the depot, Will Benteen switched the straw he was chewing to the other side of his mouth calmly. Spotting the young woman in black fingering her carpetbag nervously, he raised his hand in greeting. "Scarlett."

"Will!" Scarlett smiled widely as he stumped over to her in his familiar swinging gait. She hugged her brother-in-law tightly. "Oh, Will! It's been too long! Practically a year!"

"More like two," Will picked up her bag and carried it over to the wagon. "We thought when you was visitin' down in Marietta last month you'd pay us a visit. But you didn't."

"I reckon somebody at Tara wasn't too disappointed about that."

Will sighed as he heard the icy tone in Scarlett's voice. He knew she was referring to Suellen.

"Come on, then." He lifted her up into the wagon. "Best get goin' if we're to beat the dark."

Will watched Scarlett carefully out of the corner of his eye as he snapped the reins. "Giddap, Sherman." Something was the matter with Scarlett. He didn't know what it was, but she seemed quite troubled by it. Will shrugged. During the post-war period when he had just arrived at Tara, Scarlett had frequently taken him into her confidence. If she was bothered enough about something, she would tell him, sooner or later.

Scarlett was absentmindedly looking out over the homy wilderness surrounding them. The red, dusty, Clayton County countryside would normally have enthralled her, especially after being away for so long. But she looked right through it, her mind mulling over problems she'd rather not think about.

Will knew she was thinking. Her green eyes had that contemplative look he'd seen before. They had taken that gleam when he'd told her about Tara's additional taxes, that then Tara had no means with which to pay. Her mind had been whirled into a tired panic, her thoughts turning over at a rapid pace. He knew he'd been right to guess something was wrong.

Will coughed. "Fairhill got a new stallion two days ago. You should have seen the way Mrs. Tarleton's face lit up when she talked 'bout it. 'Couse, it was the first time she'd been away from him since she got him. He's short and stubby, but he's a handful, all right. But he's molasses in her hands. She just loves him. You know what she named him?"

"Hmm?" Scarlett murmured, not paying attention.

"Boyd! Said she's gettin' three more an' namin' them Tom, Stuart, and Brent. Her foundation stallions'll be named after the four 'stallions' she borne and lost in the war, she said. We thought that was right nice. Everyone in the county liked the Tarleton boys quite well. 'Course, I never knew 'em. But all the life has just come back to Fairhill now's Miss Beatrice got blooded horses again."

"Honestly! Beatrice Tarleton and her horses! She's never thought of anything other than horses and breeding in her entire life!" Scarlett, catching the last bit of Will's words, tossed her head and looked out at the fields surrounding them.

"Miss Beatrice may be shrewd an' she may be blunt. But there ain't no man this side of the Mississippi that can appraise horseflesh better'n her."

"Are you insinuating I'm wrong?" Scarlett turned her flashing green eyes on Will, who only shrugged.

"I reckon I ain't insinuatin' anythin', Scarlett."

The two rode in uncomfortable silence as the wagon rocked over the hard Georgia clay.

"Ah...Mimosa's got hoppin' news as well," Will tried, turning over another conversation. "Tony Fontaine's back from Texas. You should see the way it's excitin' everyone. Wade wants to go over an' learn them gun-twirling tricks Tony picked up out west. He even brought back a letter from my sister. Hadn't heard from her in the longest time."

"Hmm?"

"She's fine, thanks. Seems she lost track of me when I didn't go back home. Wrote her back sayin' how's I'm a planter now."

Scarlett glanced at him oddly. Will? A planter? Perhaps times had changed more than she'd thought. To Scarlett, 'planter' would forever be linked with the word 'gentleman.' She loved Will like a brother, shared his passion for Tara. No one could be more patient or caring than Will. But no matter what, Will wasn't a gentleman and couldn't be one even if he tried. He may run Tara, but he would always seem a Cracker to her.

Will didn't even look at her. "Didn't mean to challenge your morals, Scarlett. I understand well 'nough."

Scarlett quickly lowered her eyes. How did he know? Rhett's words, seeming to come from another lifetime, smote her at that moment. _"I've seen eyes like yours above a dueling pistol twenty paces from me and they aren't a pretty sight. They evoke no ardor in the male breast." _Scarlett slapped her knee in frustration. He was right. Why was he always right?

"Fiddle-dee-dee, Will! You know me too well."

Will didn't say anything, turning the horse down Tara's drive. It was dusk. Big Sam would have called the servants in from the fields and Suellen would have dinner on the table.

Scarlett leaned forward in her seat eagerly. Any minute, and the shape of her beloved Tara would stand before her, illuminated against the fading light. She knew she had been right to come. This reckoning was worth all she had endured. Worth it all, and more.

Will shifted uneasily. "Scarlett, you do know that it's planting season?"

"What difference does that make?" Scarlett waved his words off impatiently as if brushing away a fly. "I'm coming home!"

The wagon topped a rise and the plantation house came into view.

"Oh!" Scarlett's face fell. "Oh, Will, what happened?"

The house badly needed a new coat of whitewash as the old was worn completely away in spots. Ugly vines crawled up the terraces, dried-up leaves hanging from them limply. The shutters sagged, even some being missing altogether. The windows were dusty and cracked, and the roof's shingles were slowly being torn apart.

"Nothin' happened. It's planting season. We need every pair of hands workin' the fields an' Sue's tied up with the housekeepin' an' the children. I fix the house up in the winter...Scarlett, I hate to be so blunt like, but I was hopin' you'd give us a hand in the fields while you're here."

"Um?" Will's words flew over Scarlett's head. "But..but it looks...downright _trashy_! You could have made it look a bit decent. After all, this is Tara!"

"Which I care for just as much as you do. You ain't seein' Tara's real beauty, Scarlett. Which to me is mighty surprisin'."

"Oh, hush!" Scarlett looked out at the orchard crossly. Then her face softened. The grounds did look nice. Will did so much work. She credited him for the caring attention put into the fields, at the same time thanking God for Will. Without him, Tara would have gone back to wilderness, like Pine Bloom and Twelve Oaks.

Will drew in on the reins and smiled softly as Suellen came running out of the house to meet the wagon.

"Will, you're home! Did you pick up the supplies from Bullard's Store?" Suellen stood on tiptoe, peering into the wagon as Will leaned down to kiss her.

Scarlett, clutching her bag, jumped to the ground and stared at her sister. "Goodness, Will! Is Suellen going to have another baby?"

Suellen blushed and looked down at the ground. Will held her hand, smiling at her devotedly. "We're still tryin' for a boy."

"Miss Scarlett! Sho is glad ter see you! Lemme git that an' bring it in de house!" Dilcey grabbed Scarlett's parcel and wrapped her in a massive hug.

"Dilcey! I've missed you, too. I'm glad you decided to come back down here to Tara after Miss Melly passed on."

Dilcey had been the Wilkes family maid in Atlanta, but had abruptly decided to return to Tara in the few weeks since Melanie's death. "Ah ain' forgittin' whut yore paw done for me, Miss Scarlett. Ah'll stay here ter somehow pay for him buyin' me an' mah Prissy."

Scarlett smiled understandingly and turned to the porch, where Prissy and the children were milling out.

"Hello, darlings. Mother's home." Scarlett hugged Wade, my, wasn't he getting big! And Ella, where was she? There, hiding behind Prissy's skirts. Susie, Suellen's oldest daughter, stood with Ella and Martha, her sister's middle child, behind them. Prissy held two-year-old Jane, Will and Suellen's youngest, in her arms.

Pork hurried out of the house and over to the wagon, carrying back the sacks Will had picked up in Jonesboro. He paused as he scurried back toward the door. "Evnin', Miss Scarlett. Glad ter see you, Miss Scarlett." And he hurried on his way.

Scarlett looked around as Will handed the horse over to Big Sam, who then took the wagon around back. "Where's Mammy? She didn't come out to greet me."

"Mammy done got sick, Miss Scarlett. She in bed. Taken right po'ly." Prissy was speaking to air.

"Will!" Suellen ran over to her husband. "Look what's happened! She's going to barge in on Mammy and see her and who do you think she's going to blame? _Me!_ Oh, why did she ever come?"

"Scarlett's got a lot on her mind right now," Will replied evenly. "Let her deal with it, Sue. The torment she'll put herself through'll be enough without you makin' it worse."

He followed Scarlett into the house and made his way down to Mammy's chamber. There, he found Scarlett ready to strike the bed, on the verge of tears. "Mammy, listen to me, it's Scarlett. Look at me! Me, my face! You've got to know me, Mammy. It's me, Scarlett!"

He quickly caught her wrist. "You don't want to do that." His voice was even, but his grip was like iron. Scarlett couldn't break against it.

That didn't keep her from pulling against him for all she was worth. "But I want her to know me, Will! I never told her how much she means to me. I have to tell her!"

He swiftly pulled her back, his calm firmness instantly settling her. "Believe me, you'll get your chance."

* * *

Scarlett paced the floor of her mother's old office, wringing her hands behind her back. She glanced out at the black night sky anxiously. She turned, relieved, as Will entered the room, closing the door behind him.

"You wanted to see me 'bout somethin'?"

"What's wrong with Mammy?" Scarlett cried out, distressed. "Don't tell me I'm to lose her, too!"

Will nodded slowly. "'S her time, Scarlett. Don't get too upset. She's happy when she thinks she's in Savannah raisin' your ma. The least we can do is let her die in peace."

Scarlett looked down, nodding. How selfish she'd been! And yet...She presently sat down on the sofa and started to cry.

"I reckon there's more to it than you're lettin' on."

Scarlett shook her head, blowing her nose. "Oh, Will. These past few weeks have been living hell! I don't know what to do anymore. Everyone looks to me to be strong. But I'm so tired of being strong! It's all too much to bear!"

Though Will was looking out the window, his back turned to her, Scarlett knew he was listening intently. Good old Will! It was so nice to have someone to unload her burdens to!

Scarlett sniffed. "When Melly died, Rhett left me and I haven't seen him since. He told me he was going to Charleston, though that doesn't really matter now." She looked down and smoothed her coal black skirts before continuing. "I was absolutely devastated and India and Honey were such ninnies at the time, and Aunt Pitty always was one. Uncle Henry and I had to arrange the whole state of affairs. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do in my life! And everybody was so _cold _to me at the funeral! Do they even know how much Melly meant to me? They hadn't spent more than three hours at a time with her and I, I _lived _with her! I took care of her, delivered her baby! If I hadn't helped, she would have died the day Atlanta fell. All that time, it was the thought of coming home that sustained me. I couldn't hardly stand that funeral! I had to keep telling myself, 'Soon this will all be over, and I can go home.' Now..Mammy...and...I feel...I don't know what to feel anymore! I'm so tired, I don't know what to do! I don't want to think about it anymore!"

Will turned to see Scarlett on the brink of hysteria. He looked away and sighed. "Scarlett, stop."

She looked up quickly at the absolute tone his voice had taken.

"I want you to report to Big Sam tomorrow mornin' just 'fore dawn. Long as you're at Tara, you'll work for your dinner."

Will slowly stumped out of the room and headed upstairs. Scarlett looked where he exited with awe and admiration. She quickly stood up, realizing how silly she'd been. Scarlett O'Hara? Cry just because life was bearing down on her? _Good God, _her mind exclaimed, _what is happening to me?_

She looked again at the door where Will had disappeared. She'd never thought him to be so commanding and curt when he was usually passive and amiable. The situation had required it, and Will had rose to the challenge. She slowly left the room with a new respect for him. Tara had a new master now. And his name was Will Benteen.


	3. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

Will hummed 'Oh, I'm a Good Ol' Rebel' as he ran his plow through the rows under the sweltering afternoon sun. Behind him, Pork dropped the seeds while Scarlett and Wade followed, hoeing the rows. Dilcey and Prissy were working with Big Sam in the back fields on the minor crops Tara harvested. They had worked since four o'clock in the morning and there were hours left to go.

Scarlett had exchanged her mourning gown for a faded sunbonnet and gingham dress. She wiped her brow tiredly and glanced up at the sun. To her surprise, she found herself joining Will's soft drawl in the slow, bitter tune.

"_I do not want no pardon_

_For what I was and am,_

_And I won't be reconstructed,_

_And I do not care a damn."_

She glanced over at the family burying ground, where a fresh grave lay beside her mother, Ellen. They had buried Mammy two days ago. Rhett had come to Tara to see Mammy before she died. He had always revered and respected her.

_Rhett..._

Will shook his head as he caught sight of Scarlett's wandering gaze. It was all Scarlett could think about now. Rhett's visit had given the whole family insight into just how things stood between Mr. and Mrs. Butler.

* * *

Rhett Butler had come to Tara, just as fine as when he'd left Scarlett. Not even saying a word to Scarlett, he'd focused all his attention on Mammy. Unseeing to Scarlett's attempts to get close to him, he'd promised Mammy on her deathbed that she would be buried in the red silk petticoat he had bought her in New Orleans.

Right before she died, Mammy also made Rhett swear to her that he would 'tek care o' Miss Scarlett.' At this, Suellen had wailed loudly, burying her head on Will's shoulder. "Her last thought was for you, Scarlett. You always were her favorite!" Will patted her back, comforting her quietly.

Scarlett had stood up, prepared to throw her arms around Rhett, but he caught her wrists and carefully lowered them to her sides. "Don't, Scarlett."

Sensing they wanted to talk alone, Will ushered Suellen out of the room and closed the door.

Hearing the raised voices behind it, Suellen almost immediately pressed her ear to the door.

"Get away from there, Sue."

His wife turned to him pleadingly. "Oh, but Will!"

"Whatever it is, it's Scarlett's business an' none of ours. Let them be."

"Her and her squabbles with that awful Butler man! If they get a divorce, she might stay here forever!" Suellen hissed urgently.

"Knowing Scarlett like I do, I find that highly unlikely." Will gently placed his hands on Suellen's shoulders and kissed her golden curls. "Don't get your Irish up, Sue. We'll manage things one way or another."

Suellen smiled up at her husband. His calm rationalism never failed to put her at ease.

They started as they heard Rhett Butler's loud voice from the other side of the door.

"...I lied to make a dear old woman's last moments happy. Remember, my pet, I'm a scoundrel, not a gentleman."

The door opened abruptly and Rhett stormed past Will and Suellen, not even seeing them.

"Don't go, Rhett! Please!" Scarlett cried in anguish, racing for the door. When she saw Will and Suellen, she stopped, raised her head high and gave a defiant glare.

"He'll be back, he always comes back."

Suellen's eyes were full of triumph over her hated sister. In Will's there was only pity. They looked at each other and then at Scarlett, not quite knowing what to say.

"Always," Scarlett nodded her head, as if to reassure herself of her words. She breathed deeply and turned to her sister. "Where is Mammy's petticoat, Suellen? I intend to see to it that she's buried in it."

* * *

"Lunch time!" Suellen hollered from the front porch.

Big Sam rode up to Will. "Supper time?"

Will nodded and turned the plow in order to unhitch the horse.

Sam cupped his hands around his mouth. "You, Dilcey! Supper tiiiime!"

Pork was the first one to the well, quickly washing his face and hands before getting ready to serve.

Scarlett looked down at her hands. They were calloused and bruised from hours of honest work. Rhett wouldn't approve. She snatched her sunbonnet from her head to find most of her dark tendrils had escaped her scraggly hairnet.

She looked over at Will, whose sallow skin had been sunburnt through and through. She laughed. "My, we look nice, don't we?"

Will smiled evenly. "Fit to meet the Queen of England herself."

"Hurry up before it gets cold!" Suellen called before turning inside.

* * *

"Thank you, Wade Hampton." Scarlett nodded to her son as he pulled out a chair for her.

"Mmm-mmm. Chittlins 'n poke rinds." Dilcey hungrily eyed the coveted negro dish.

"Yes'm. Mist' Will say we eats one o' de shoats now Miss Scarlett's home." Pork took his spot at the table.

"You didn't have to go to such trouble for me." Scarlett looked down at her plate. Corn pone, dried peas, side meat. Suellen sat a fresh loaf of bread in the middle of the table, which Scarlett hardly noticed. Her jaw fell open at the meal. Why...this was what she had eaten during the war years when everyone at Tara was half-starved!

Catching her incredulous look, Will delved generously into his ration. "Sue's the neatest little cook, ain't she?"

Big Sam took the hint. "Yessah, Mist' Will. Miss Suellen cooks right nice."

The rest of the servants hastily murmured their agreement.

Will's wife beamed under the praise. "Funny, when I was growing up, I thought I'd never once have to cook in my life. Circumstances forced me to it. I'm glad everyone thinks I do such a good job." She glared across the table at Scarlett, daring her to say otherwise.

Scarlett picked up her fork half-heartedly. "She could be a better one if she had more to work with. Will, I send you a check for Tara's finances every month. You obviously need it, so why do you send it back?"

"She gives you money and you turn it away?" Suellen glared wrathfully at Will. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Money matters, begging your pardon, Scarlett, are no woman's business. An' Tara don't need no charity. If you was in my spot, Scarlett, which you ain't, you might see things differently. Would you ever want Tara livin' on charity?"

"But Will, I'm not charity! And you've taken my checks before!"

"That was when you were still head of the house. But when I married Sue, I reckon I took that spot. Scarlett, long as Tara can provide for her people, which she is, she's as proud as when she used to be. We don't need the money."

"But Will!" Suellen protested vehemently. "Think of it! Scarlett's married to millions! With that kind of allowance, we could hire hands, eat grand meals, have new carpets and...oh, the dresses I could buy!" Suellen's eyes lit up with pleasure. "You'd never have to work another day in your life! Will, please!"

"Sue, my work is my life. I've made my decision an' I'll stand by it."

Suellen looked down. "That's that. When Will puts his foot down, there's no changing his mind."

Scarlett ate her peas dourly. Why did Will have to be so proud? She was ashamed to be eating such things at Tara when her home in Atlanta served meals fit for a king. Why, it was downright embarrassing!

"Did it ever occur to you, Scarlett, that I'm proud to be making a decent go at this?" Will concentrated on his plate. "'Course, you warn't never interested in what goes on in people's heads. But considering we used to have nothing, look how far we've got. I can't help bein' proud of it. I put my heart into bringing Tara back to life."

"Will, you know if you'd never come to Tara, well...we wouldn't have made it without you! But..."

She didn't have to finish her sentence to let Will know what she was thinking. His mild blue eyes settled kindly on her. "Scarlett, your offer's right generous. I don't see how I overlooked that before. But if it's all the same, we're just fine, thank you."

Scarlett nodded. She still detested Will's decision, but she admired the diplomacy and respect he'd given her. He had known she would be pacified.

Will glanced at his wife, who was pouting silently. He would have to deal with her this evening.

Boo, the family's blue roan hound dog, sniffed under the table for scraps. Will snuck the dog a piece of ham and patted him affectionately. Will loved animals.

He cleared his throat in the deathly silence of the meal. "If it ain't too painful for you, Scarlett, I'd like to know how Mister Ashley's doing. Haven't seen him in the longest time."

"I was hoping I could forget," Scarlett mumbled. "Well, Ashley hasn't got a head for business. I looked over the books of the sawmills and they're just horrible. The business has sunk drastically since I sold them outright to Ashley. I'll never know how Rhett managed to make me part with them. But I'm in an awful state of affairs. When Melly was on her deathbed, she made me promise to take care of Ashley and Beau. But the mills are standing idle and poor Ashley's so discouraged...I feel like I'm not living up to my promise. You see, I actually honor the wishes of the dead."

Will nodded knowingly. That had been the tiff between Scarlett and Rhett. She had thought he would take his promises to Mammy just as heavily as she took her vows to Miss Melanie. Rhett had preferred to think contrarily.

"Send him a check every month. You've got plenty. And Mister Ashley's probably smart enough to take it as well." Suellen kept her gaze averted from Will.

Her husband just grinned at the angry jest. "Scarlett ain't dull either, Sue. I take it she knows that won't work."

Scarlett nodded. "The problem is, I have to provide for him, and yet never let him know." She sighed. "I've spent nights thinking it over, and I can never..."

Abruptly, she stood. "The warehouses! I never did build on them! What if..." Scarlett hurried from the room. "I'll draw up the necessary letters immediately!"

"Miss Scarlett sho is a woman o' action." Dilcey shook her head and turned to her daughter. "Poke, tell this lil wench o' yores ter et up dem chittlins, else she be hearin' frum me!"

Pork turned to Prissy, exasperated. "Mist' Will wus right nice ter giv' you dem chittlins. Be grateful!"

Prissy pushed them around on her plate and moaned, "I doan like chittlins."

"Doan like chittlins?" The three negroes roared.

Big Sam shook his head. "Dilcey, yore Prissy's de most insolent nigger e'er lived."

Ella slapped Susie's hand when the girl tried to sneak food from her plate. "No!" Susie sat back and bawled. Wade sighed and quickly excused himself from the table.

"Now the children are in a state. Could you clear away the plates, Dilcey?" Suellen stood up, grabbed Ella and Susie by the hands, and led them into the hall.

Will got up. "Reckon I'm wastin' daylight. Best get back to it. Come on, Boo."

* * *

Will blew out the candle in the washroom and stumped over to the bed.

Suellen's profile was illuminated against the moonlight shining through their bedroom window. She sat upright in bed, her arms crossed. She coldly looked out at the night sky. She didn't say anything as Will entered the room.

He smiled at her sparky defiance. "'S matter, Sue? Still mad at me?"

When she didn't reply, he slowly ambled over and stood behind her. The moon shined in his face. "I'm not gonna change my mind, if that's what you're aimin' at."

Suellen looked the other way. "If it's all the same, I'm just fine, thank you."

He gently placed a hand on her back. "Even if it was all your heart desired, I ain't gonna be livin' on charity. Think of your pa. Think of Scarlett."

"Scarlett," Suellen spat, "Is willing to make us the most well-off family in Clayton County and you just pass her up right along." She sniffed, tears stinging her eyes. "When you said that, and I looked down at my plate, I thought, 'a lifetime of happiness just passed me by.'"

"You ain't happy?" Will carefully sat down beside her. The emotionless tone of his voice was too much for her to bear.

Suellen burst into tears, turning to her husband's ready embrace. Will's arms were strong from working long hours every day at Tara. The resoluteness of his frame, the power lying beneath his calm and gentle exterior was the exact comfort Suellen longed for and sought. She always felt safe in Will's arms.

Presently, she noticed Will's jaw tighten whenever she touched his skin. "Will, you're hurt!"

"It ain't bad, Sue. Don't let it bother you none."

"I should have noticed how red you were at dinner!" Suellen leaped out of bed and hurried to the washroom. "You've been sunburnt again, I know it!" She grabbed a bottle of salve and quickly rejoined Will.

"It ain't as bad as all that–"

"Don't protest, and by God, don't ask me if I'm troubling you too much! Heaven knows how much trouble you've caused me already." Suellen carefully rubbed the salve into his burns.

Will didn't wince or shy. Nothing ever seemed to bother him. Of course it stung, but it wasn't that bad. He didn't see the need to make a fuss over it.

His pale blue eyes sought hers. "I take it you're not mad at me anymore?"

"Goodness, Will! It's impossible to stay mad at someone who never blows his top! Why, I–"

Will shushed her with a kiss.

Suellen smiled. "We've been married six years and I still don't see how you do it."

"Do what?"

"Calm me down just when I feel like screaming."

"Never held much by screamin'." His rough, red hand enclosed her small, white one. He looked up to find a question in his wife's eyes and he nodded.

"I'll try, Sue. I'll sure try..."

* * *

Scarlett sat at her mother's desk, writing a draft for Suellen to receive a hundred dollars a month for the upkeep of Scarlett's children. She looked up from the desk and closed her eyes. Yes, if she thought hard enough, she could still smell her mother's lemon verbena sachet, still hear the rustle of her skirts. This sacred desk in this sacred room had once been used by Ellen O'Hara to run Tara's affairs.

Scarlett quickly shook her head. It wouldn't do to look at the past too long. If she did, then the pain for what she had lost would just catch up to her. No, it wouldn't do at all!

She quickly hid what she was writing as Will stumped into the room.

"Don't mind me. I just came in to get warm." He leaned carelessly against the fireplace, warming his hands over the flames.

"Georgia days are hotter than the devil, and yet the nights can be cooler than Siberia." Scarlett chuckled. "I can still remember growing up in this house how many times I got Mammy angry because I'd be out after dark without my shawl."

"You should be in bed, Scarlett. It's late."

Boo yawned at Will's feet, gingerly laying down beside Will's shotgun. Man and dog had been on evening patrol around Tara after dark. There was a burglar running loose in the county, and he'd already hit Fairhill pretty hard. On hearing this, Will had just switched his straw lazily to the other side of his mouth and murmured, "Tara can't afford to be burgled."

"Heard you're leavin' for Atlanta soon."

"Yes." Scarlett carefully laid her pen down. "There's nothing more to keep me here, I suppose."

"Give my regards to Mr. Wilkes when you see him."

Scarlett sighed. "To be quite frank, Will, I'd be perfectly happy if I never saw Ashley Wilkes again!"

"You will, though."

"Perhaps I was foolish to come here to begin with," She looked down at the blotter and fingered it. "I thought that somehow, coming to Tara was going to make everything okay. Such a silly dream, now. Of course, it you want me to stay on til the end of the planting season..."

"Scarlett, you go to Atlanta. You haven't been workin' as well as you could lately. You're obviously ready to move on."

"Perhaps you're right. I guess I'm aimlessly casting about for some sort of solution, some sort of start...And I thought I'd find it here." Scarlett held her head in her hands. "My life is such a mess right now! If I only knew..."

Will turned from the fire, gazing calmly at Scarlett. A sudden change had come over her. She sat up straight and sharp. Her eyes held a vital glow that Will hadn't seen in years.

She quickly got up to the door, her skirts animated with electricity.

Though he knew the answer, Will decided to ask anyway. "Just what do you plan on doin', Scarlett?"

Her hand on the knob, she whirled around so her back was against the door. Her whole body vibrated with purpose and anticipation. She smiled wildly. "If Rhett won't come to me, then I'll go to him. To Charleston."

After she'd left, Will stumped over to the desk and pulled the draft out from under the blotter. He slowly read it and smiled. When Scarlett determined to do something, she did it, one way or another.

Unfortunately for her, Will was equally determined. He ambled over to the fire and gently dropped the paper into the flames. "I'm sorry, girls. It couldn't be done."


	4. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

"Looks ter me lak rain, Mist' Will," Big Sam pointed up at the early dawn sky.

A cold fall wind blew over Tara's red clay fields. The low, dark clouds rolling in over the gray horizon rumbled and grew larger yet, blocking out the sun.

Will nodded. "Work fast, so we can get as much done as possible 'fore it comes."

Prissy hugged herself tightly and shivered. "Mist' Will, Ah caint wok in weather lak this. Ah's powerful cole."

"Here, then." Will shrugged off the patched, grey coat that had once been part of a Confederate uniform. The thin, worn fabric wasn't much, but it was something. "You need this more'n I do."

"Thankee, Mist' Will." Prissy sniffed. She turned to the vegetable garden, clutching the coat to her.

"That's awful unusual fo' this time o' year." Big Sam shook his head. "Hope it don't ruin the crop."

"Hmm." Will's brow furrowed as he glanced at the sky. He didn't have a good feeling about this. He turned to picking Tara's cotton with urgent speed, not even feeling the harsh, icy wind.

* * *

"If pneumonia takes you this time, it'll be cruel irony," Suellen muttered, draping another blanket around her husband. "And that goes for all of you." She gestured to the other servants gathered around the fire. "What if you die because of what you did? Then who'll put dinner on the table?"

"Get some more blankets for Pork, there." Will nodded at the old negro. "He needs 'em more'n I do."

"Right," Suellen handed bowels of hot corn meal to Dilcey and Big Sam before retrieving another blanket for Pork. "If Mammy were alive, she'd scrub each and every one of you raw in a hot bath."

"We didn't save the crop." Will looked down, defeated.

"Nearly killed yourself trying!" Suellen rolled her eyes. "Do you ever take into consideration what I go through when you put yourself in harm's way?" She placed a hand on her swollen belly. "Excuse me," she murmured, quickly exiting the room.

Martha, who'd been playing by the hearth, crawled into her father's lap. Will coddled the child mindlessly. The little girl looked up at him indignantly. "Daddy, you're all wet!"

"Miss Suellen sho wus mad." Big Sam stared grimly at the fire.

"Don't pay Sue any mind. She gets mad easy." Will looked down at his daughter, not really seeing her. "We only salvaged three bales. I can't help but think I shoulda done somethin' more."

"Nobody could've done any more'n whut you done did, Mist' Will." Pork blew hot air into his hands.

"I ain't so sure." Will's calm blue eyes were unusually bitter as the events of the evening replayed in his mind's eye.

* * *

The wind was picking up, howling in rage. Several of the cotton plants were torn from the ground, others bending over in protest of the furious storm.

Will forced the cabin door open, dumping a load of picked cotton onto the floor. The rain was pelting down hard, felling trees in some of Tara's back fields. They wouldn't be able to hold out much longer.

Suellen opened a window and leaned out over the sill. "Will! Come in the house right now!"

Prissy screamed as lightening struck the ground only a few feet from her, the electricity catching some of the nearby cotton plants on fire.

Big Sam rushed to her side, waving his hat in an attempt to smother the flames. But they only grew, leaping higher into the sky.

Will retrieved horse blankets from the barn and began handing them out, beating the flames as he did so.

"The fire's gettin' out of control!" He yelled, the words blown away with the rain. Nobody heard him.

Dilcey stomped and waved the blanket in the midst of flames while Prissy ran about, shrieking in utter terror. Pork tried valiantly to fend them off, but to no avail. The fire was already too vast for five people to fight.

"It ain't no use, Mist' Will!" Big Sam hollered in the farmer's ear.

"Can't stop! It'll ruin the crop!" Will beat the flames with the rug for all he was worth.

"The crop done ruint! Les' hope it doan git de house!"

Prissy, in her blind fright, soon found herself at Tara's back door. Suellen ushered the whimpering girl inside and shielded her eyes against the rain.

"Stop this foolishness right now!"

Nobody heard her.

Will refused to listen to Big Sam's pleads, fighting the wind, rain, and fire with all his might.

"Ah'm sorry, Mist' Will. 'S 'fore yore own good." Big Sam flung his rug powerfully at Will, knocking him out.

* * *

"Plumb crazy!" Suellen muttered, returning to the room. She strung the sopping wet clothes of Will and the servants on a string over the fire.

"It's worse'n you think, Sue." When Martha tried to wriggle out of Will's arms, he held her fast. "We lost practically all of it. The money from that cotton was gonna pay the taxes and buy us provisions for the winter."

Suellen, her mouth agape, swiftly moved to the window and pulled aside the curtain. Outside, the sky was bright with color. Reds, oranges, pinks, and yellows, threw ghastly images across the stars as Tara's self-sufficiency went up in smoke.

Suellen choked back tears. "Good heavens, Will! What are we going to do?"

* * *

Suellen quietly closed the door behind her and made her way over to the master bedroom. Her husband met her at the door.

Will gently took her hands in his. "Are they all right?"

His wife slowly nodded. "But quite ill. Please Will, don't go in that room under any condition. It's different with Dilcey and I. We've already had the typhoid. And when you get sick, you take so poorly."

Wade and Susie had come down with the typhoid fever a few weeks ago. It was bitterly cold, and Tara's inhabitants were forced to try to survive Old Man Winter with the little that they had. Prissy kept Ella, Martha, and Jane out of the sick room and watched over their needs. Suellen and Dilcey cared for the ill children while Pork and Big Sam helped Will with the odd winter jobs around the house.

"Come to bed, Sue. You need a rest." Will shut the door behind them and stumped over to the bed. "Rough, ain't it?"

Suellen leaned against the wall and held her forehead with her hand. "Good God, yes!"

She slowly walked over and flopped down on the bed, arms sprawled. "Oh, Will. Sometimes I'm sure the world is determined Tara can't be prosperous. Every time things become halfway decent, we get set back again."

"They can set Tara back, but they'll never bring her down. There's somethin' 'bout this land that forces her people to keep fightin'. That I'm sure of."

"I hate Tara. I wish you'd give up on it. I've been wanting to get away from here since I was knee-high to a grasshopper."

Will laid down beside his wife. Suellen rolled over, her waist fitting between Will's hands perfectly. Her arms curled around his neck as she buried her head under his.

Will, taking it in course, nodded and accepted Suellen's embrace. "'S all right, darlin'."

Suellen closed her eyes. Will had never called her 'darling' before. It had always been 'Miss Suellen' before they were married, and 'Sue' after they'd become engaged. It was the most endearing term he had used for her yet. She smiled and let it pass. To her surprise, she had liked it.

A rock rapped against the window. "Mist' Will! Mist' Will!" Big Sam's voice bellowed from the front lawn.

Will slowly got up and swung over to the window. He opened it and peered out. "What is it, Sam?"

"Mist' Will, Sherman layin' down in 'is stall. He doan look so good."

"Hang on, lemme grab my britches an' I'll be down." Will swiftly turned back into the room, moving with more speed than one would think him capable of.

Suellen sat up. "Will, don't!"

Will never met her gaze as he calmly redressed and, grabbing a candle, made his way downstairs. On his way out through the kitchen, he took the flask of cooking brandy with him out toward the stable.

Suellen hurried down the stairs after him, clutching a wrap around her swollen belly. "Must you do this? After all, it's just a horse! Can't it wait til morning?"

Will turned to her placidly and sighed. "We can't lose that horse."

Slowly, he stumped off the porch and into the night.

* * *

Dawn was breaking over the horizon. Will looked up through the barred window of the stable and ran a hand through his hair. Beside him in the straw lay the sick animal.

The poor horse was on his side under every rug in the barn. He made groaning noises, his neck thrust out away from his body. He hardly moved, perspiring slowly, his eyes rolling in pain.

Will turned caring eyes on the animal, stroking its neck soothingly. He had sat up with the horse all night. As far as he could tell, there had been no change.

"Easy now, boy," Will fondly rubbed Sherman's bay coat. Now that it was morning, he really should get up and fix this horse a meal. Should also run up to the house and grab the catheter, he thought.

Big Sam's heavy footfalls echoed down the corridor. He paused at the door, peering inside. "Fo' Gawd, Mist' Will! Wus you up all night?"

Will scratched his night-old beard stubble and turned bloodshot eyes on Tara's overseer. "You're right, Sam. He ain't very good at all."

Will and Big Sam both knew the gravity of the situation. The horse played a vital role in the upkeep and running of Tara. Lose the horse, and Tara lost all connection with the outside world.

Big Sam gingerly undid the latch and stepped inside. "Do you want me ter..."

Will held up a tired hand. "Get Pork up an' start on them shutters." He turned back to the horse. "I'll keep sittin' up with this feller."

Hours passed. Will carefully tended the horse, fixing medicines and feeding him through the catheter. As patient and gentle as the animals he coddled, all his thoughts and actions were attuned only to the needs of the horse.

Prissy hesitantly entered the stall around noon. "Mist' Will, Miss Suellen, she say fo' you ter come in an' et yore dinner."

"'M all right, Prissy." Will didn't even look up from his work.

"Yassah," Prissy dropped a curtsy, as was her custom, and scurried back up to the house.

He was still there as Sam hung the tool belt and harness up, returning the workhorses to their stalls. "Cleared the drive, Mist' Will."

He may have just as well said nothing at all.

Sam shook his head and left to meet Pork outside.

Later, Prissy cautiously peeped in. "Mist' Will, Miss Suellen done sont me fo' you. She say you gots ter come up an' et yore supper."

"She already got the table set? Set everyone down an' everythin'?"

"Yassah, she gots everythin' waitin' for you."

"Tell Miss Suellen not to wait for me."

* * *

Night settled in over Clayton County. Boo whined outside the stall for his master, licking the dirt floor in hunger.

Wrapped in her shawl, Suellen stomped out of the house, carrying a plate with her. She shook her head in exasperation, muttering angrily.

Will didn't look up as she marched into the barn. "It's bad enough I have to take care of sick children all day. Now I've got to go all the way out to a barn and feed my husband by hand because he's sittin' up with a sick horse and hasn't the sense to do it himself!" She thrust the plate in Will's face. "Eat before I shove it down your throat!"

"Knew you'd be comin' out sooner or later," Will continued about his work, monitoring the horse carefully.

Suellen gaped in disbelief. "I have a notion to smack you upside the head! Who do you think you are to go making us seethe out of our skin while you're out here calm as your precious cows? Why..." Her voice trailed off as Will stood, fixing his gaze on her.

"Don't get your Irish up, Sue. Have you ever considered you're the only one?"

Suellen breathed sharply in retort. He frustratingly got her goat every time they argued! Well, Will never argued. He reasoned while Suellen yelled.

"To be frank, Will, I'm sick and tired of having one-sided arguments. Why can't you ever get mad and scream?"

He gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "How else would I keep you sane?" He lifted her chin up so she looked him in the eye. "It never does any good to get mad all the time, so don't let everythin' turn into a problem. You might be much happier for it. And you're right pretty when you're happy." He smoothed her hair and hesitantly leaned forward.

Suellen, flustered, shied from his touch. "Will, don't. I...I have to go back up to the house. Dilcey needs me."

She picked up the skirts of her calico dress and exited briskly. Will smiled after her, handing the forgotten dinner plate to Boo. As the dog lapped up the meal rapidly, he laughed. "Figgered you might need it more'n I would."

* * *

Will quietly opened the back door, so as to not disturb the rest of the house, and stepped inside. All was dark and quiet. He stumped over to the pantry and stored the brandy and catheter away.

A candle flame burned from the stairs as a figure descended in the dark. He groaned inwardly. The last thing he'd wanted to do was wake someone up. His pegleg made too much noise when he walked!

"Will?" Suellen hastened her steps, holding the candle up to her face. "Will! What are you doing up here at this Godforsaken hour of the night?"

"His fever broke."

"How did you know?"

"Hmm?" Will turned to her absentmindedly. Suellen was taken aback. It wasn't like Will to be such an impassive listener!

"Wade, his fever broke today and Susie's on the verge of recovery as well. They're going to be all right!"

"I was referrin' to the horse. Looks like we ain't gonna lose him, either."

"Good for the horse," Suellen took a step closer, peering at Will in the dim light. "Will, you look terrible!"

Will fingered his three-day-old beard thoughtfully. "Reckon I do." His pale blue eyes smiled faintly at her through red fatigue. His sallow skin had an even sicklier hue to it as a result of malnutrition. His face looked sunken and ghastly against the flickering light.

"Oh, Will!" Suellen gasped in abhorrence. "What an awful thing to do to yourself! Here..." She quickly pulled out a chair and shoved him into it. "I'll fix you up something right away and you'll eat it!" She threatened when Will opened his mouth to speak. "Then you're going straight to bed under strict orders not to be disturbed. If Big Sam has any questions, he'll just have to figure them out for himself."

Will only nodded, too tired to mildly question his wife's bossy manner.

Suellen set the plate down in front of Will. She took a breath, ready to upbraid him, but he looked so appealingly at her that she kissed him instead. She tapped the plate insistently. "Eat."

Outside, Boo howled at the still night sky.

* * *

"I know everyone's been worried 'bout the money situation lately. I most of all." Will turned around, facing his wife and the negro servants. "I've finally come up with somethin' that ain't gonna fix our problems, but it'll sure help." He turned back to the front window. "Tara's sweet potato crop was spared in the storm. If I go North, an' trade 'em where they don't got yams, well..."

Suellen stood. "Will, you're not going North?"

"Is dat whut you thinkin', Mist' Will?" Big Sam looked up at Tara's master questioningly.

"'S what I'm doin'." He turned to look at them again. "Wanted to give youall a notice. I'm leavin' tomorrow mornin'."

"You can't go!" Suellen protested. "What is everyone going to do if you go?"

Will took her hands and gazed down at her calmly. "What is everyone goin' to do if I don't go?"

* * *

Pork heaved the last barrel of potatoes into the wagon. "Dat's it, Mist' Will."

Will nodded his thanks and shrugged into his coat. Suellen hadn't been able to come down to see him off. She wasn't feeling too well that morning. His kissed his daughters and Ella goodbye, turning as Dilcey handed him a sack.

"Packed a lunch fo' you, Mist' Will."

"Thanks, Dilcey. Take care o' my girls an' Miss Suellen for me."

"Doan you worry none, Mist' Will."

"Can I go with you, Uncle Will?"

He turned to find Wade looking hopefully up at him.. He smiled sadly. "Sure wish you could, son. But you ain't quite well yet. Don't want to get sick again, do you?"

Wade shook his head.

Will placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Besides, we need to keep a man looking after Tara, now, don't we? Tell you what. You can take my place at the dinner table while I'm gone."

Wade's face lit up. "Gee, thanks, Uncle Will!"

Will stepped outside and climbed into the wagon. "Take care o' Tara, Sam." He called to the overseer, who waved in reply. "Hope yo' trip good, Mist' Will!"

Will nodded and picked up the reins.

"Will! Wait!"

He turned to see Suellen running out of the house, her shawl falling over her distorted belly. He smiled at her pluck and waited for her to come up alongside the seat.

She stood on tiptoe on the ground beside him, breathless with exertion. "Will...be careful. Don't do anything you wouldn't do here at home. And..." She threw a glance at his wooden leg. "Don't come home in more pieces than you already are."

"I promise." Will picked up her hand and kissed it before turning to flick the reins. "Giddap, Sherman."

As the wagon rolled away down the dusty red road, Suellen stood to watch it. The wagon grew smaller and smaller until it completely disappeared from her sight. She sighed heavily. "Hurry back, Will. I need you."


	5. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

Richard Filmore set down the crate. "That's five dollars' worth of goods there."

"How 'bout three bushels o' sweet potatoes instead?"

The store clerk shook his head. "I don't know..."

Will doffed his hat and switched the straw he was chewing to the other side of his mouth. "Sir, these plants o' mine are home-grown. I can't offer you money, cause I ain't got none to give you. But I can give you a taste of the South. Three whole bushels."

Filmore eyed him warily. "They good quality?"

"Sir, Tara's sweet potatoes are the finest in all Clayton County. My wife's won plenty of fair contests for her pies. You can't get better quality than this. An' I'm offering you a whole bushel of 'em for five dollars' worth of supplies. Is it a deal or ain't it?"

"A deal!" Filmore emphatically shook Will's hand. He pulled it back, stunned to find someone with seemingly no strength like Will had a grip like iron.

As the store clerk took his trade away, Will turned to the man standing a few feet away from the wagon. "Can I help you, sir?"

Will had crossed the river three days ago into Cincinnati, where he had been trading his yams since. Nobody in the industrial city had ever seen anyone like Will before. The men discussed him on the streets and women whispered about him behind their parasols. He looked a lean and lanky apparition in his ragtag clothes, but the simple farmer paid them no mind. He was concerned only with trading his goods and returning home as soon as possible. He hated Northern cities.

The man cleared his throat and stepped forward. "I deal in material. Perhaps we could make a deal..."

"I'll give you a barrel filled to capacity for ten yards."

The man shook his head. "You drive a hard bargain..."

Will nodded. "Suit yourself. 'Course, there's a man uptown who's had his eye on my cart. I'm sure I can make him a deal..."

"Wait. How do I know you're not conning me?"

Will shrugged. "Take a look yourself. These here are the best Georgia sweet potatoes around. You ain't gonna find a better deal'n this."

"Then I'll take it!" The man shook his hand. "Higgens."

"Benteen." Will rolled the barrel onto the ground. "Sir, you ain't gonna be sorry."

"Why don't you step inside and pick out some material?"

Will was a shrewd trader. Half of his wagon load had already been traded for supplies. When a man was hesitant on a deal, he never changed his original offer. Instead, he switched around the conversation to make it look like he was the one holding the upper hand. Even Scarlett O'Hara had to admit he was gifted when it came to trading.

A few minutes later, Will loaded the material into the back with his other provisions and climbed into the wagon seat. He stiffened as he saw a man in a blue uniform come up to Higgens. He'd never get used to seeing those blue coats on civilian streets.

Higgens saluted the man. "Sergeant Riley!"

The man returned his salute. "Union forever!"

Will turned and spat on the other side of the road.

"Just come from the telegram office?" Higgens nodded at the paper in Riley's hand.

"Yes. Looks like I'm to be deported out west to stop the Indian Wars. Those injuns have just as much fight as the rebels we licked in '65, so I've heard." He turned to Will. "Ah, the vagrant trader, I see. How are you today, man?"

Will kept his gaze focused on his horse. "Reckon you ought to tell your friends they've exhausted their welcome in Georgia."

"And just why should we leave? Who's to stop the rebels from rising up and revolting again?"

"Reckon they know how to take care of their own state. After all, it was a mighty fine one 'fore it got all torn up."

Higgens intervened hastily. "I was just doing a bit of business with this man, Riley. Now, weren't you in Sherman's army? Or am I mistaken?"

"Marched in the Great Georgia Raid, I did. You wouldn't have believed all the supplies we came across. It simply had to be destroyed in order to crush the rebels. And it did, not only physically, but spiritually. Those fools. Most ended up deserting their cause to go home and feed their folks!"

"Is that so?"

"Mm. Sherman was a hard commander, but a brilliant man, in my opinion."

"You ask me, I'd say Sherman ought to hang from a rope." Will bit his straw in half firmly.

Riley took a menacing step forward. He pointed angrily up at Will. "Now look here, I–"

"I bid you good day, sir." The authority in Will's voice stopped the sergeant blankly.

He shrugged off his anger and nodded. "I'll take my leave, then." He turned and walked up the street with Higgens in tow.

Will's mild blue eyes were hard and bitter. He'd suddenly grown a hard distaste for this side of town. "Giddap, Sherman."

The horse hadn't gone two steps before Higgens appeared along the side of the wagon.

"Begging your pardon, sir. The sergeant requests your name."

Will pulled back on the reins. "Easy, boy." He turned to look at the fabric dealer. "You tell that man that he was speakin' to Private William Benteen, POW, of the Eighth Florida Volunteer Infantry Corps, C.S.A."

* * *

Will nodded to the woman who toted away a bushel of yams she had exchanged for spools of sewing thread. Yankee women weren't at all what Southern women were. They were highly opinionated and not afraid to show business sense and be frank like a man. They were fast becoming commodities of the industrial corporate world. In fact, they reminded Will a lot of Scarlett O'Hara!

He turned when he heard his name being called, thinking he'd imagined it.

"Will Benteen! Is that you?" A man pushed up to him through the crowd.

Will's face broke into a wide grin. "Henry Kinlan!" He heartily shook his comrade's hand. "Haven't seen you since the surrender!"

"I never expected to see you alive again. You haven't changed a bit since I last saw you. 'Cept, you're not sick, of course. Real sorry 'bout leavin' you for dead out back in Georgia."

Will shook his head. "I really ought to thank you for that. Best thing that ever happened to me. That land's a mighty fine farm, an' I can't complain 'bout the change in my luck. I don't make a whole lot of money, but I do well 'nough."

"Well, what do you know? That's terrific!"

"Only got four hands, but they don't come no better. Got a decent cotton crop to harvest every year. Also got a wife and three children." Will removed his straw hat and scratched his head in retrospect. "Reckon I've done mighty well."

"The war left you in circumstances you made the most of, Will. Have to say I envy you. Come, it ain't every day I find an old friend I thought was long dead. Let me buy you a drink."

As they made their way down the street, Will looked worriedly at Kinlan. "You look a mite troubled."

"It's nothing, really." Kinlan looked down the street. "I'll tell you later."

Will Benteen and Henry Kinlan went a long way back. The two had both attended Miss Lula Pritchard's night school as boys growing up in the Southern Georgia backwoods. They had lived next to each other, learning useful trades under their fathers' hands. In these years, Will had developed the calm and lazy demeanor characteristic to his Cracker background. But even from an early age, he could pinpoint the thoughts and faults of other people, a trait tried and true, and uniquely his. Kinlan, on the other hand, had become more outspoken and animated. Yet the two remained as thick as thieves and often hunted together.

Then the spring of 1861 fell over the country. As both sides took up arms, the two young men quickly enlisted under Colonel Lang's Eighth Florida Volunteer Infantry. They had fought alongside one another at Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville, where one of Will's legs had to be amputated at the knee. They had both been taken prisoner at the Battle of Gettysburg and spent the last years of the war in a Federal prison. No one paid any mind to the 'missing–believed captured' that appeared beside their names on the Gettysburg casualty list. No one was looking for them.

On being released, they'd slowly made way for home, Kinlan being one of the lucky few who made away with a mule. Will had kept up valiantly, for all that his wounded leg was troubling him. Then he had taken ill, forcing Kinlan to place him on the steps of Tara, altering the course of his life forever. Though they hadn't seen each other for eight years, he was still remembered by Will and would remain forever his friend until the day he died.

The two men seated themselves at a saloon table and waited to order. Kinlan smiled. "What business brings you to Cincinnati?"

Will rested his lank, gangling frame against the chair and calmly switched his straw to the other side of his mouth. "Tara lost her cotton crop in a bad storm. Came up here to trade our yams for provisions."

"That's a spot of bad luck." Kinlan turned as a waitress moved up to their table.

"What'll you boys have?" She smiled pertly at them from under long eyelashes, her lips curled in a sensual manner.

"Hello, Sally." Kinlan smiled at the girl, who couldn't have been a day over eighteen.

Will cleared his throat. "Pint of whiskey for me."

Kinlan nodded. "I'll have a double bourbon. Quick." He watched the waitress disappear behind the counter. "Nice girl, Sally. Works at the sporting house down the street on weekends."

Will frowned. "I don't hold with whores." Ever since he was little, Will had never understood why so-called 'gentlemen' frequented the brothels. To him, a gentleman respected womenfolk, and he had always held steadfastly to that belief.

He shifted uneasily in his seat. "Tell me what's troublin' you."

Kinlan sighed. "Well, Will, it's a hard world we live in now. When I went back home, I found nothing. Absolutely nothing. The whole area has gone back to wilderness."

Will nodded. "Figgered on as much."

"I didn't know what to do, so the wife and I moved to the coast. I don't know anything about coastal living, and I wasn't making any money. We lost the house in a year." Kinlan shook his head. "A friend wrote me about a banking opportunity up here so we moved into an apartment building on the outskirts of Cincinnati. I've been working here since." He shrugged. "Well, I was. My boss just notified me that I'm to be let go and I don't know why."

Thinking of Sally, Will looked Kinlan in the eye. "Been doin' anythin' that might get you fired?"

"Heavens, no! I can't afford to! You've known me since we were born, Will! You know I wouldn't mess a thing like this up!"

"You're right." Will nodded as the waitress set their drinks down on the table. "What's your boss's name?"

"Dartmoor. Why?"

"Think I'll have a word with him." Will polished off his glass and stood. "'S the least I can do for you."

* * *

"Ah, yes. Kinlan." Dartmoor closed the books on his desk and looked up at the man in front of him. "One of my best tellers. His books are always balanced. Wished all of 'em were as straight as him."

"Why're you lettin' him go, then?" Will didn't like the looks of this man and trusted him only as far as he could throw him.

"Have you heard of the Panic? I have to let some of my men go. The economy demands it." Dartmoor drummed his fingers impatiently on the table.

"I don't know 'bout any Panic, and certainly nuthin' 'bout Yankee economy, but you said he was one of your best tellers. Why let one o' your best men go?"

"I don't know if there's any other way of putting this." Dartmoor said slowly, as if explaining a concept to a child. He eyed Will piously. "But...well, he's a southerner."

"And?"

"And he must go before any of the locale. It just works that way."

"Sir, unless there's some sort of law in these parts against southerners, which there very well may be, I ain't gonna let that one fly. I know Kinlan personally and he's downright honest."

Will pulled a horse pistol out of his belt and held it up to the light, studying it intently. "Back where I come from, I reckon I'd have enough to call you out over a remark like that."

Dartmoor, pale since Will pulled out the weapon, murmured angrily, "That's because all you southerners...are barbarous."

Will pointed the gun at Dartmoor for a moment, then shrugged and returned it to his belt. "I ain't gonna shoot you."

Dartmoor still wasn't relieved when Will put it away. Just the fact that this strangely calm man was armed was enough to terrify him. "Just what are you going to do?"

"Make an appeal to you." Will took the seat in front of Dartmoor's desk. "I have a whole half-a wagon load of sweet potatoes. They're the finest sweet potatoes in the South. I'll hand 'em all over to you if you promise to keep Kinlan on for at least another year."

"You cannot be serious!" Dartmoor cried incredulously. "What with the—and I thought– Oh, Lord!" He broke into peals of laughter. "That's the most ridiculous proposal I ever heard!"

Will crossed his arms and switched the straw in his mouth. "Is it a deal or ain't it?"

Dartmoor stopped laughing. "You're serious, aren't you? Well, it's impossible. What would the city think of me if I let someone else go and keep a southerner?"

"I never held much by other people's 'pinions." Will brushed a fly off his sleeve. "Look, I'm only askin' you to keep him a year. Give him time to find another job. Or you just might keep him. He's hard-working an it'll do your bank a good turn. You said so yourself that he's honest." He stood. "And I'm willin' to give you half my yam crop for it."

"You have it." Dartmoor shook Will's hand. What the man said made sense. After all, there was no sense in hurting the bank by keeping his most crooked tellers. "Just who are you, anyway?"

Will smiled. "A friend, I reckon."


	6. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

"Dilcey, please don't make me sit around anymore. You and Prissy can't do everything. And I'm perfectly able." Suellen sat back in the chair and looked out the window, bored.

"Doan you git outer dat chair, Miss Suellen. Ah promised Mist' Will Ah would tek care o' you an' you needer rest. So rest." Dilcey moved to the next room to begin preparing lunch.

"I'll fix the meals, if you don't mind." Suellen groaned as she pulled herself out of the chair. The baby was only about a month away and it was getting harder and harder to move.

"Miss Suellen, you is de most stubbornest thing! You ain't gonner be fixin' no meals nohow! Ah's a midwife an' Ah knows whut Ah'm talkin' 'bout!" Pans clattered as Dilcey yelled from the kitchen.

"I'm not an invalid!"

Suellen was about to scream when a movement outside caught her eye. She rushed over to the window. A horse and wagon were coming up the drive.

Forgetting her argument with Dilcey, Suellen dashed onto the porch. She gripped one of the pillars for support.

The wagon was nearing the house. Seeing her on the porch, the driver simply raised a hand in greeting.

"Dilcey! Prissy! Come quick! Mister Will is home!" Suellen cried before running to meet the wagon.

"Hoa, boy." Will drew back on the reins and languidly rested a long arm over his raised knee, smiling softly.

"Will! Will!" Suellen ran as fast as she could, ignoring Dilcey, who was calling from the porch and shaking her forgotten shawl angrily. "Where do you think you're goin'? You want ter miscarry Mist' Will's chile? Come back here!"

"Will!" Suellen slipped on the ice beside the wagon but he caught her wrist and held her fast. She jumped onto the wagon seat, enveloping him in a hug.

Will smiled and patted her appreciatively. "Miss me, darlin'?"

"Will Benteen!" Suellen exclaimed, pulling back. "I don't know whether to throttle you or kiss you!"

She chose the latter.

* * *

Will didn't want to talk about his trip. He got Big Sam started on Tara's news at the dinner table and listened quietly as the large negro prattled on and on. Next to him, Suellen kept her gaze trained on her plate. But her hand reached out and patted Will's sleeve intermittently to make sure he was really there.

Earlier, Will had given her his bandana to blow her nose when she'd burst into tears over his arrival. Now, she clutched it to her breast as if it were a precious heirloom. Will was home! How she'd waited for this day to come!

Pork had helped him carry in all the goods he'd been able to trade for. "You done right good, Mist' Will!" Pork had smiled on seeing the items.

"Will, you're amazing!" Suellen had grabbed the straw hat from her husband's head and plopped it on her own.

In reply, Will had placed his hand on the small of her back. Instead of plucking it away, as was her custom, Suellen let it be and leaned into him happily. Will didn't question this change in her behavior. More likely than not, it had to do with the nearness of her delivery. He was going to enjoy her mood while it lasted.

"I should go away more often," Will smiled down at his fussy little wife.

"Don't!" Suellen had clutched him so tightly he laughed outright.

Suellen had noticed a change in Will since he had returned home. It seemed as though he was actually trying to be more free with his emotions. What exactly had happened to him up North, Suellen wondered. Though she didn't want to get her hopes up, she toyed with the idea that it might, just might, have something to do with their not seeing each other in months. Had he missed her as much as she missed him? In any case, Will would never admit to it.

Watching Big Sam as he spoke, Suellen laid her hand on top of Will's. After a couple of minutes, he moved so he was instead clasping her hand tightly.

Though their hands were joined on top of the table, neither one looked at the other during the entire meal.

* * *

Now that Will was home, nobody went and visited and Tara received no callers. A lady as far along as Suellen was in her condition shouldn't be seeing people. It was quite improper.

Hearing from Dilcey that Suellen was refusing to rest, Will ordered his wife to stay in bed until she was well recovered. To his surprise, she complied without raising a single complaint. And as far as Dilcey could tell, she had not tried to sneak out of bed once.

"You sho got a special way wid peepul," Dilcey had told Will one evening. "You can get Poke an' Miss Suellen ter do things Ah could never make dem do."

Business continued as usual at Tara, with the exception of Will stopping up at the house more often to check on his wife.

"Doan you worry none 'bout Miss Suellen, Mist' Will. She goin' ter be jus' fine." Dilcey reassured.

Will nodded. "Good. Let's keep it that way."

* * *

Will sat before the fire, tickling his girls as he recited them stories from the Bible. Four years of night school wasn't much of an education. As a result, Will was a poor reader and had trouble even writing his name. But he did know the Bible inside out, and told all he remembered to the children to compensate for reading to them. The children didn't mind and were enchanted by the soft drawl of his flat voice.

"When the whale saw Jonah a-standin' there on the beach, he said to himself, 'Now I ain't a-swollerin' that.'"

"But he did!" Susie spoke up from her father's lap.

"That's right, sweet pea." Will tousled her hair affectionately. "Where'd Jane go?"

Martha pointed above his head. He turned around to find the toddler scaling the back of his chair.

"What're you doin' there?" Will picked her up and carefully brought her over his head. She screamed with delight.

Prissy relaxed in the next room. Everyone felt safe leaving Will to sit with the children. He was as deft with their care as Mammy had been, and only the late Melanie Wilkes had surpassed him in efficiently soothing their cries.

Big Sam was on the roof nailing down new shingles. Except for the pounding of his hammer, the house was quiet. Dilcey and Pork had gone to Jonesboro with the wagon to mail some letters. As of yet, they hadn't returned.

"Will..." The soft moan came from down the hall.

"Doan you gits up, Mist' Will. Ah goes see whut Miss Suellen wants." Prissy quickly hurried to the room. She preferred seeing to the needs of a sick woman rather than those of five children.

Will was tickling Ella's stomach when the hall door slammed. Prissy's hurried footfalls reached the room in seconds. "Mist' Will! Mist' Will! Come quick!"

With lightning speed, Will sprang from the room.

"Uncle Will, what's wrong?" Wade looked up from his book curiously as his uncle stumped by.

"Careful! Doan go in dere!" Prissy hissed as Will cautiously peered through the door, which was only open a crack.

"Prissy–help me!" Suellen cried out, obviously in pain.

"Calm down, Sue. When did it start?"

"Two hours ago—Will, do something!"

Will turned from the door to find Prissy rolling her eyes in panic. "Lawdsy, Mist' Will, whut we gonna do? Ah doan no nuthin' 'bout bringin' babies!"

Will caught the girl in an iron grip, looking her in the eyes. "We obviously can't wait for Dilcey. Keep an eye on the kids, and get Miss Suellen everythin' she asks for. I'll ride for help."

"Please, Mist' Will! Doan leave me here alone!" Prissy cried tears of fright.

"Big Sam is here if you need him. I'm jus' goin' to Fairhill. I won't be an hour." He left Prissy whimpering in the hall as he grabbed his hat and headed outside.

He snatched the bridle from its peg and went to Dolly's stall. The draft horse looked at him calmly as he deftly tacked the mare. Sherman's saddle wouldn't fit and he didn't have time besides.

He calmly led the mare out of the barn and over to a good-sized rock in the ground. With its aid, he was able to spring onto her massive back and make off at a gallop for the Tarleton place.

* * *

Hetty, Camilla, Randa, and Betsy Tarleton sat around the hearth of the small overseer's house they lived in, sewing. Their father and Betsy's fat, one-armed husband were already asleep in the next room.

Randa threw down her mending in frustration. "Where's Ma? Pa's tired of waitin' for her and she should have come in hours ago!"

Camilla didn't look up. "She's still in the barn with Boyd. You know how she is with her horses."

Betsy looked up thoughtfully. "You know, it seems to me she spends more time with that horse than she does with us."

"Course she does. Ma's crazy about horses and she's lost without them. Reckon she'll be like that til she dies." Hetty stood as a knock came at their door. "Now who be callin' on us at this hour of the night?"

"Maybe it's Sally Fontaine and Little Joe." Camilla glanced out the window hopefully.

"Nonsense! They left last week to visit some of their folks in Macon, remember?" Hetty waved away the supposition and opened the door. "Will Benteen! What are you doing away from Tara?"

Will's face was impossible to read as he stood calmly on the porch. "Dilcey's gone to Jonesboro and my Sue needs help now. I was hopin' one of you girls would ride back with me an' help."

"Of course," Hetty grabbed her bonnet and shawl, calling to her sisters, "If Ma comes back, please explain where I've gone and why!" She turned back to Will. "I did some nursing down in Fayetteville during the war. I'll do what I can."

* * *

"Mist' Will! 'Bout time you come back!" Prissy screamed from the porch as Dolly tiredly trotted up to the house.

Will awkwardly dismounted and helped Hetty down. "Prissy, I'm goin' to put the horse away, then I'll be up to watch the kids. You pay mind to Miss Hetty and do as she tells you."

"Yassah," Now that Prissy was no longer in a responsible position, she had considerably calmed down.

"Show me where she is." Hetty ushered Prissy inside as Will led the horse around back.

* * *

All the children except Wade had been put to bed. He was old enough to know what was happening. He had witnessed it several times before, when Beau Wilkes, Ella Kennedy, Bonnie Butler, and even Jane, Will's youngest, had been born. And though Will wouldn't admit it, the boy was a comfort to him as he sat up, throwing disinterested glances at the hall.

Though he didn't look it, Wade knew his uncle well enough to see it was worrying him a great deal. It was taking Suellen a great deal longer than it had when she'd borne their three other children. Nothing had ever upset Will a great deal before and he wasn't about to get upset now. He clenched his hands tightly together, trusting blindly that she would be okay.

"Golly, Uncle Will! It sure is quiet!" Wade had remarked and then began to read aloud from _Les Miserables._

Prissy and Hetty Tarleton frequently came and went from the room, but they never breathed a word of what was happening.

As the hours wore on, Will just sat motionlessly in the chair, his eyes fixed on the clock. Prissy and Hetty were moving about with more urgency than they had before. The whole ordeal was making Wade quite uneasy. He continued his reading without falter, afraid of what would happen if he didn't.

Wade was just reading the beginning bars of Part Three when Hetty solemnly entered the room. Will looked up, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "Well?"

Hetty's russet eyes flashed. "There were some problems. Your wife nearly died in the middle of it all. But let me be the first to congratulate you on the birth of your son."

Will's stiff form collapsed back in the chair, relieved. "Hear that, Wade? I got my boy..." His voice trailed off, his thoughts already a million miles away.

Wade closed the book and sat up. "May we see them, Miss Hetty?"

"Soon's I get you a glass of water. You've been reading all night, boy! It's a wonder your voice hasn't cracked!"

She led Wade out to the kitchen and boiled some water on the stove. "I want to thank you for settin' up with Mister Will tonight. I was mighty worried about him."

"Worried? About Uncle Will?" To Wade, the thought was unfathomable. There was nothing about his uncle to worry over! "I was worried about Aunt Suellen."

"She'll be all right, she's a strong woman. She had to be, otherwise she would have perished for sure. Ma always said you can tell the strength of a mare by the way she bears a foal," Hetty nodded. "You don't think there's any reason to worry about Mister Will, but there is. You never can tell just what he's thinkin', so that makes it even harder to tell just what he's gonna do. I suggest you leave him alone for a while."

Wade turned as the back door opened. Pork and Dilcey stepped inside. "Oh...Hello, Miss Hetty. Did we miss somethin'?"

* * *

When Will held Robert Edward Lee Benteen for the first time, words couldn't begin to describe the mix of emotions he felt. He smiled mellowly. "Reckon he's the finest-looking boy I ever did see."

"Course he is, Will. He looks just like you."

Will turned and bent over ungainly to kiss Suellen's forehead. "Sorry, Sue."

His laconic statement was enough to make her smile. "Soon's I'm well enough, I'm going to get up and hit you over the head for it."

Will didn't seem to have heard her as he coddled the child fondly, murmuring incoherently.

Suellen shook her head. Men and their sons! "Thank you kindly for letting it be known that you better half would have been dearly missed, Mr. Benteen!"

"There you go makin' problems." Will glanced at her before turning back to his son. "Don't think I'm that heartless, do you?" He grabbed a chair and sat down by the bed. Boo sat at his master's foot obediently.

"Must that silly dog follow you everywhere?" Suellen frowned.

"Way I see it, he ain't ever troubled you none." Will's long, course hand felt the soft, tiny one of his son's carefully. "Ain't like anythin' I ever known..."

"Goodness, Will!" Suellen crossed her arms in a huff. "Don't you even care about me?"

"Course I do, darlin'."

Suellen looked over at him quickly, sitting upright in bed. But he was smiling down at the baby indulgently, not even caring to meet her gaze. She relaxed after a moment, pacified by his remark. "Well, that's all right, then." After a minute, she laughed. "Will Benteen, you're the most frustrating man in the entire world!"

* * *

Will stayed at Suellen's side for the next few weeks, making sure her infections didn't become worse. He sat up with her, telling her things and reciting Bible stories to her, even when she was asleep. When she was awake, he would always hold her hand.

When he did this, Suellen would slowly turn and look at him for a minute, almost as if she were seeing him for the first time. Then she would always tell him to do something. "Will, that shirt is dirty. Go put on a clean one." "Will, that's an awful-looking beard growing on your face. Go shave it off." "Will, is Boo in the room? Put him outside the door." "Will, I can hardly see your eyes. Go comb your hair so you look decent."

Whatever Suellen requested, Will went and did immediately. Soon, it got to the point when Suellen would wake and find nothing to carp about to Will. It was then that she told him to kiss her.

He always obliged by pecking her forehead, which would always make Suellen laugh. "No, silly. Kiss me."

"I ain't gonna make you more sick than you already are." Will replied.

Suellen sighed. "I'm always the one that has to kiss you. Why won't you kiss me? Really kiss me?"

Will smiled. "I will, once you're better."

* * *

Once during those weeks, Pork entered the bedroom when it was becoming late in the evening, puzzled as to why Will had not yet surfaced. "Mist' Will? You still in here?"

He found Will still seated in his chair by the bed, his frame slumped forward over the bed. His long arms hung loosely over the top wrung of the iron bars around the bed. His head was situated on the pillow next to Suellen's. His wife had one limp hand buried in his pale-pinkish hair.

Pork slowly exited the room, embarrassed to have witnessed a scene of such intimacy. He left Will alone, sleeping that way the whole night long.

* * *

It wasn't long before Mrs. Benteen was back on her feet, bravely carrying on as if nothing had happened. Dilcey had taken to calling the baby, 'Young Master', and gave him special attention. She did not trust Prissy with the boy. "Ah ain' leavin' de Young Master in mah Prissy's care. Dat wuthless girl o' mine doan no nuthin' 'bout chillun. How do I know she woan drap him?"

Will had sent Pork out with a ham, two ducks, and a turkey to the Tarletons in gratitude of Hetty's services. "'S the least I could do," He remarked. "Ain't no payment a man can give for the life of his wife an' son."

Though Suellen regained energy with each passing day, she was considerably excited when she sat down to dinner one afternoon. A telegram from a Savannah law firm had arrived and she was anxious to know what it said.

Will came in from the fields and sat down, taking his time in opening the letter. Suellen wanted to grab it from him, but it was addressed to Will. She couldn't open another person's mail, even if it was her husband's.

Dilcey set plates on the table as Will looked at the message for what seemed an eternity. Suellen felt fit to scream.

"Well, what does it say?"

He calmly folded it up and tossed it across the table. "Here. Warn't never one much for readin'."

"Oh, Will, why didn't you tell me you couldn't read it?" Suellen quickly read the contents and jumped up in excitement. "Will! How can you be so calm? Do you know what it says here?" She held the paper away from her face, savoring the contents as she read it aloud. "'Requesting the presence of Mr. and Mrs. William Benteen at the burial of Pierre Auguste Robillard at the Independent Presbyterian Church of Savannah two weeks hence of notification.' Oh, doesn't anyone see what this means? I'm going to Savannah!" Suellen clutched the notice to her bosom. She hurried to the window, already seeing herself in the majestic port city. "I haven't been anywhere outside Clayton County in the longest time! And Savannah's so fine and elegant, and the Robillards are practically...oh, no!" She gasped and spun around. Her eyes widened in horror as they took in her husband, who looked up at her guiltily from tossing Boo a scrap. "They're going to see the daughter of Ellen Robillard married to a...a _Cracker_!"


	7. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

Will looked up from the fencepost he was mending and nodded to Big Sam. "Think you can do the others?"

"Have to, Mist' Will. You's goin' away agin. Long as de las' time?"

"'Fraid so, if not longer." Will patted him on the shoulder. "I hate to leave Tara for so long, but Sue's so lookin' forward to this trip. I hope I don't ruin it for her."

Ever since the infamous telegram had arrived, Suellen couldn't look at her husband without bursting into tears. He knew she was downright ashamed of him, and kept quiet. Doing anything about the matter would only make it worse.

"Doan feel bad, Mist' Will. Miss Suellen she doan know how lucky she is."

"Thanks, Sam." Will walked with the big black overseer up to the house. "I'm glad I have someone like you to look after Tara while I'm gone."

Pork met them at the back door. "'Scuse me, Mist' Will. Yore face an' hands right dirty. You wash up good 'fore you sit down ter de table."

"What is it, Pork? Company?"

"No, suh. You's dirty. You caint sit at de table lak dat. Taint proper."

Shrugging, Will did as Pork said before taking his place at the dining table.

That morning, Suellen had pulled Pork aside and told him to start keeping a check on Will's manners. "You were my father's valet for several years, Pork. You know as well as I do that Mister Will doesn't act like a gentleman should. Help him with his manners, but for God's sake, don't let him know I put you up to it!"

Pork had eyed Suellen warily. "Whut you up ter, Miss Suellen?"

"It isn't any of your business. Just do as I say." Suellen had tossed her head and flounced away.

As the plates were being set on the table, Dilcey could be heard storming about in the nursery upstairs.

"Young Master, you's carryin' on an awful storm an' Dilcey doan know whut yore problem! Come now, you jus' ate 'n you gots a clean diaper! Tell Dilcey whut's wrong!"

Big Sam plunged into a conversation about farming methods he'd heard from a man in Atlanta. Will listened intently, nodding as he leaned back in his chair and chewed a straw thoughtfully.

"No, no! Mist' Will, you caint do dat!" Pork clucked disapprovingly. "You set up straight in dat seat right now! An' doan you be chewin' no straw! Dat downright common!"

"Why're you doin' this, Pork?" Will looked down at his straw before tossing it away reluctantly.

Pork shrugged. "Ah doan know. Habit frum lookin' after Mist' Gerald so long, ah guess."

Will's eyes traveled to Suellen, who was staring a hole in her plate. He smiled knowingly. "Funny how this old habit of yours suddenly popped up, isn't it?"

Suellen writhed angrily in her seat. She badly wanted to kick him as hard as she could under the table, but resisted the urge. Letting him know he'd got to her wouldn't do at all! She willed herself to calm down and cooly looked away. What did it matter what he thought, just so long as he minded Pork?

She smiled as she thought of her plan. This time, Will wouldn't get her goat. She was sure of that.

* * *

Will played with the children in the nursery. He had just woke up, at a loss with what to do. He and Suellen were leaving for Savannah that morning, so Big Sam had gone to work without him.

"You promise to behave for Dilcey while we're gone?" He hugged each of his girls and Ella in parting.

"Daddy, why are you going away again?" Martha stuck out her lower lip.

"Don't give me that, I'm coming back." He kissed her hair lovingly. It made him realize just how much his children missed him.

Suellen appeared in the doorway. She had donned her black mourning dress with its tall collar for the occasion. Her modest golden curls had been piled on top of her head and her mother's diamond earbobs dangled from her ears.

Will took her in, nodding approval. "You look right nice."

She gestured to the door with her head. "Will. Can I see you for a minute?"

He slowly got up and followed her into their room. He couldn't keep his eyes off of her as she led him into the room and swiftly turned to face him. "You look pretty cute when the sun catches them earbobs." He pinched her chin and tilted her head up to his.

"Stop." Suellen pushed him away. "Will, I can't take you to Savannah looking the way you do."

"Reckoned it was you who put Pork up to fixin' my grammar 'n manners."

"Will, this may be asking a lot, and then again, it may not. You have to be a gentleman when we're in Savannah. I don't know what I'll do if you don't. I know you don't like to put on an act but can't you do this just this once? Please?" Her hand sought his and held it tightly. "For me?"

Will was indifferent on the idea, but he couldn't resist her helpless, appealing look. "Heck, Sue. What choice do I got?"

"Oh, Will!" His wife's face lit up. "Go bathe and I'll get out your best Sunday suit."

Will's best Sunday suit consisted of a brown jacket patched at the elbows and pockets, his cleanest shirt and a thin piece of cloth that was supposed to be used as a tie. Will had never used it once in his life. Well, he was going to now.

He had only one set of trousers and those were the ones he was wearing. She tossed him the shirt and studied the jacket thoughtfully. She'd covered the elbows and pockets with dark brown patches so they'd at least match. She hoped everyone down in Savannah would this design intentional.

When Will came out of the washroom and shrugged on the jacket, Suellen shook her head and tut-tutted. "Will, you're not going church in Jonesboro!" She deftly buttoned up the rest of his collar and put on the tie, tucking the end of it under his vest.

She stepped back and studied her husband. "You still look like a Cracker. What else...oh, I know!" She hurried over to the bureau and took out a gold chain bracelet. "Here. Stick this in your vest pocket so...and it'll look like a watch chain."

Will didn't see the importance of this, but only shrugged. Suellen had been so unhappy with him lately. If this was how he could make it up to her, so be it.

She looked at him again and shook her head. "Oh, this might be hopeless...what if I combed your hair?" She quickly grabbed a comb from on top of the dresser. Reaching up, she parted his pale-pinkish locks to the right.

She stepped back and studied him once more, tapping her chin with the comb thoughtfully. A smile spread over her face. "You look almost handsome when you clean up."

Will coughed, concentrating his gaze on the floor. He was embarrassed by her remark and ashamed to let it show. "Ready to go now?" He picked up his hat from on top of the bed and turned to Suellen.

"No! You can't wear _that _hat!" Suellen exclaimed. "I'll get out one of Pa's for you to wear!"

She disappeared into the closet and returned with one of Gerald's hardly used panama hats. She had changed the band to a black one and gingerly set it on his head. "That's better...but something's still not right." She looked down at his leg. "The way you walk...folks down there might consider it vulgar."

Will calmly put his hands in his pockets, missing his straw intensely. "Reckon that sort of thing can't be helped, but then again, that's just me."

"Nonsense!" Suellen grabbed one of Gerald's canes and handed it to him. "As long as we're in Savannah, you'll use the cane to walk. Makes you look a bit more respectable."

Will leaned on the cane carelessly. "Anythin' else, m'lady?"

"Just your face. It looks so malarial. If only there was a way to distract from...oh, I know!" She hurried to Gerald's old chiffarobe and rummaged around in the top drawer. "Pa had some old reading glasses he didn't use very much." She pulled them out and dusted them off. She set them on Will's face. "Perfect. You look a gentleman."

Will shifted his feet, suddenly uneasy. "Hate to be a nuisance, but...we're gonna miss our train if we don't get goin'."

"Right," Suellen grabbed her satchel and settled her arm in the crook of his. "Let's go then."

Suellen wanted to move slowly and stately, but Will hurried to be out of the room. He felt strangely disconnected from himself. From one glimpse in one of the mirrors, he'd known that the man staring back at him definitely wasn't Will Benteen.

* * *

Will drove the wagon toward Jonesboro with Suellen settled on the seat beside him, her arm still through his. Big Sam, Pork, and Prissy rode in the back of the wagon. Pork and Prissy would go on to Savannah with Suellen and Will as their valet and maid. Big Sam would see them off at the depot and then drive the wagon home.

The servants kept peering closely at the man driving in front of them. No matter what was said, they still couldn't believe that the man was Mister Will. He didn't look a bit like Tara's master!

Suellen sat proudly at his side, preening herself over the successful execution of her plan. Everyone had thought Will was hopelessly a Cracker and nothing could essentially change him. Obviously, they hadn't bargained on the determination of Suellen O'Hara Benteen! She laughed. For the first time in her life, she was proud of her last name!

Will was a simple man, and didn't feel good at all about pretending to be something he wasn't. But Sue looked so happy, and he had so wanted to make her happy. Everything else had repeatedly failed. Finally, he had gained her approval.

"Hello up there!" Beatrice Tarleton appeared on the path, straddling a short bay stallion who was quite thick in the neck. He danced at the curb, but behaved as sweetly as a gelding for his rider.

She pulled the stallion up beside the wagon. "Good day to you, Sam, Miss Suellen. Who's the fellow you got with you? Kin of yours?"

Will drew in Sherman's reins. "I'm a sight miffed you don't know me, Miss Beatrice."

"Will Benteen! If it weren't for your voice, I'd never have known you! Goodness, man, what's happened to you?"

"Boyd's a mighty fine stallion," Will nodded at her horse. "Small in frame, but look at them hocks and how short his back is. That little guy's got speed bred in him."

"Now, it's got to be you, Will! Only you know enough about horses to say something like that. But you don't look him at all!" She frowned, leaning down to peer closer. "What did you do to him, Suellen?"

Suellen smiled sweetly, placing a hand on her husband's knee. "Doesn't he look nice? We have to go to Savannah for my grandfather's funeral." She nodded, thinking that made the situation perfectly clear.

Beatrice furrowed her brow. Of course, she knew as well as the next person that Suellen had considerably gone down in the world when she'd married Will. But she hadn't done half as bad as Cathleen Calvert, and besides, Will was a good, decent man. The whole county admired him and had only disapproved of their marriage because he was far out of Suellen's class. He was by no means handsome. In fact, quite the opposite. But he was satisfied with being the way he was, and everyone felt instantly at home around him. But here...here, Beatrice felt like she was talking to a stranger!

"Well, I'm sorry about your grandfather, Suellen. Good day to you, Will." She touched the end of her crop to her hat in salute and cantered off.

Will sat for a second, and made a minuscule movement Suellen took to be a sigh before driving on.

"Don't take what I'm doing the wrong way, Will. Someday, you'll thank me. After all, I can't just throw you to those nasty old lions down there. I–I care about you." She turned her head and studied the trees.

Will continued driving as if she'd said nothing at all. But Suellen saw the corners of his eyes crinkle and knew that he was smiling inwardly.

* * *

"Right. I'll be seein' you." Alex Fontaine stepped out of Bullard's Store, carrying a sack of flour over his back. He tossed it into his cart and looked down the street. Seeing Big Sam with Tara's wagon down by the depot, he waved and headed that way.

"Big Sam!" What're you doin' so far from Tara?"

"Gots ter tek de wagon back home!" Sam hollered. "Dere's kinfolk daid down Souf!"

Alex nodded, not quite understanding the formidable overseer. He walked down under the shady awning of the terminal.

"Well, if it isn't Miss Suellen! Ain't you the prettiest little thing I ever set eyes on!" With extreme brevity, he kissed her on the cheek, becoming the lively, hot-tempered youth he'd once been before the accustomed bitterness settled back in. "What're you doin' all dressed up with nowhere to go?"

"Alex Fontaine, you rascal!" Suellen blushed, shifting her weight from foot to foot. "Haven't you heard? My Grandfather Robillard died. We're going out to Savannah for the service."

"Just goes to show how buried we are at Mimosa." Alex tipped his hat back, studying the man with Suellen. The profile of his head was straight, almost proud, like the image one would see on a Greek coin. Alex shook his head. Whoever this man was, he wasn't from around these parts.

"Miss Suellen, why don't you introduce me to your companion? I don't think we've met."

Suellen's eyes danced mischievously. "Well, Mr. Fontaine, I like to refer to him as my husband."

"Hell's afire–begging your pardon, Miss Suellen–I didn't recognize you, Will!"

"Seems like there's a lot o' that goin' around." Will placed his hands in his pockets, chewing his tobacco placidly.

Suellen laughed, patting his arm. "How is Sally?"

Since Grandma Fontaine and Young Miss Fontaine had passed away, it had become very lonely at Mimosa. Sally's first husband, Joe Fontaine, had perished at Gettysburg. To think of it, everyone in the county shook their heads and said, "Rotten luck for her with Joe gettin' killed."

But she did have Little Joe to show for their marriage. Alex and his brother, Tony, had returned to Mimosa after the war. But Tony had killed Jonas Wilkerson in a saloon only a few months after returning and had fled to Texas. Alex, who hadn't a cent in the world, had been sweet on Sally's sister, Dimity Munroe, for as long as the county could remember. But when he had been faced with living alone with Sally and Little Joe, he had turned to marry his own dead brother's widow. Dimity had been upset a great deal by this, but the whole county said it was her fault for not catching him first.

Alex shook his head, thinking of his wife. "She's a brave little thing, for all that each day is a trial. She wants to send her boy to college so bad, but I don't know how in Hell–Sorry again, Miss Suellen–I'm ever going to get that kind of money!"

Will tipped his hat farther back on his head. "You usually turn out a decent corn crop. Problem with Mimosa is you don't got enough hands to produce decent cash crops. I can get myself and my crew down there on occasions an' help you with the plantin' and harvestin'. Surely we can settle a decent trade."

"That'll be great, Will." Alex shook his hand and turned to Suellen just as the train whistle sounded in the distance. "Your husband's the finest man in Clayton County, Miss Suellen."

* * *

"Here we are! Savannah!" Suellen gazed out the window excitedly before turning to straighten Will's tie. "Now please remember everything Pork's taught you and don't slip up for both of our sakes!" She brushed the hair out of his eyes and set his hat back on his head. "You look fine. Now remember, we're staying with my Aunt Pauline and my Aunt Eulalie at my grandfather's place. Scarlett will most likely be there, as well as someone representing Carreen's convent. There probably won't be anyone else there family-wise, but my aunts will probably make us go calling."

Will's hands steadied her shoulders, and his mild eyes penetrated hers. "Calm down, Sue."

She instantly relaxed in his arms, anxious tears streaming down her cheeks. "Oh, Will!"

He shushed her. "The train's stoppin'."

Aunt Pauline and Aunt Eulalie stood on the terminal, anxiously watching the crowd for their niece.

"There she is!" Pauline waved to Suellen. "Susie! Over here!"

"Aunt Pauline! Aunt Eulalie!" Suellen hugged her aunts emphatically. "I haven't seen you in so long!"

"Darling Sue! You've grown!" Eulalie held her at arm's length. "And how beautiful you look!"

"Aunty, you mustn't flatter me so!" Suellen laughed. She turned and gestured delicately with one of her fingers. "I don't believe you've met my husband."

"Oh, that's right! Scarlett wrote us you were married! Where is he?" Pauline looked around.

Will, being extra careful to use the cane with every step he took, slowly made his way over to them. He removed his hat, cautiously bending his tall frame in a sweeping bow. Now what was that Pork had told him? "Ah...charmed to be in the presence of two ladies such as yourselves." He gently took each of their hands and kissed them.

Suellen beamed. She couldn't have been prouder of Will. This low country Cracker looked and spoke a perfect gentleman!

Pauline eyed him critically. "You're too kind, sir. Sue, please do make introductions!"

Suellen placed a trembling hand on her husband's arm and gestured to her relatives. "Aunt Pauline, Aunt Eulalie, this is Mr. William Benteen. Will, these are my aunts Pauline and Eulalie."

"Benteen..." The two old women looked at each other and shook their heads. "Never heard of them!"

Suellen gulped. She'd completely forgotten about the name! If a person didn't have a name and social background behind them, then all these airs would be for nothing!

"Why, they're fifth cousins of the Burrs, of course! But most of the kin moved out to Texas before the war. Will stayed behind and fought for our cause."

Pauline thought it over and nodded. "That's all right, then."

Eulalie clasped her hands together. "Oh, you're one of our brave lads in grey!"

Will nodded, tapping the ground with his cane. "I was wounded in Virginia. Hope you don't mind the way I get 'round so slow-like because of it."

Pauline whispered in Eulalie's ear, "I'm not so sure about him."

Eulalie shook her head and whispered back, "Anyone who made such a sacrifice for our Glorious Cause is all right by me!"

She turned to Suellen and Will. "Father's service isn't until tomorrow. There are so many people you must go calling on. Come along, now."

* * *

Suellen sat in their room, relieved to finally be alone. "Heavens, me! I thought those Telfair sisters would never stop talking!"

Will sat quietly, his arms crossed, slowly chewing his wad of tobacco. Suellen glanced at him, slowly shaking her head in frustration. Oh, why did he have to be so unreadable?

She peered at him closely. He had been quite stiff and curt while they were visiting Mary and Margaret Telfair, friends of Pauline and Eulalie. Of course, that had been after they had called on the Audleys, the Worcesters, and the Mercantons. She had enjoyed being a Robillard and meeting so many important families. But for Will, who was like a fish out of water, they may have taken their toll.

She sighed. "You have tried so awfully hard today...I suppose a thank you is in order."

Will set his hat back on his head, turning his mild gaze out the window. "Reckon that's for you to decide."

Suellen stood, shaking her head. "You're so passive, you drive me crazy!"

But as she passed, she murmured a quick "thank you," and deftly kissed his cheek.

* * *

"Looks to me like nobody minds much 'bout your granddaddy passin'." Will looked around at the excited, chattering 'mourners' that filled the rows of the Savannah Independent Presbyterian Church.

"Grandfather was a mean old coot who hated everything and everyone except grandmother. When she died, he amused himself by tormenting others." Suellen tossed her head.

"An' he was with Napoleon all the way through Waterloo." Will added. "You never told me he was in the emperor's army."

"What difference does it make?" Suellen sighed. Why were men always interested in wars? She didn't go about troubling her head with that sort of information. Wars were man's business. And here was a man reproving her because she forgot to mention some silly old war!

Will sat silently for a minute. "Makes a great deal of difference to me. He stayed with his general, fightin' for him even in the hour o' defeat. I reckon all us Confederates know a thing or two 'bout that."

Suellen restrained herself from yelling at him. Will Benteen, talking nonsense about the Confederacy! It made her want to scream.

Thankfully for her, the ceremony began. It lasted close to two hours. Will sat patiently through it, not understanding a word as the whole ceremony was in French. Oblivious as to what was being said, he had an attentive, respectful aura about him. Suellen envied her husband, as she repeatedly fidgeted in her seat out of utter boredom.

As the eulogies drove to a close, the people stood and began filing out of the church. Now it was on to the cemetery around back, where there would be more words spoken as the coffin was lowered into the ground.

"Thank God it's outdoors!" Suellen muttered as she and Will slowly walked alongside Pauline and Eulalie. "I didn't think I could stand another minute in there!"

"It's a pity you don't know French, dear. It was a lovely ceremony, for all that it was Presbyterian." Pauline and Eulalie, like their mother, Solange, and Ellen, were Catholics. Pierre was staunchly Presbyterian and had been quite angry when he'd discovered his wife had been raising her three daughters under her religion instead. But Solange was the only person he had been deeply devoted to, and in his eyes she did no wrong. He had been upset for a time, but had eventually let it go. The only reason he had consented to Ellen marrying Gerald O'Hara years later was the fact that she threatened to join the convent otherwise.

Will turned thoughtfully to Suellen as he slowly navigated the steps with his cane. "You know, I would like to have met your granddaddy."

"You—meet grandfather!" Suellen's eyes widened in horror. "You can't really mean that. He would have hated you!"

"That may be so," Will nodded slowly, thinking over his words. "But I would have liked to meet him, all the same."

Suellen turned suddenly when she saw Pansy, Scarlett's timid maid, standing alone in the graveyard pensively.

"Pansy!" Suellen called. "Where is Scarlett? We haven't seen her since we came to Savannah!"

Pansy ran over and stopped before them haltingly. "Miss Scarlett, she say fo' me ter be here in her place. She in Ireland wid her O'Hara folks an'–"

"Ireland!" Suellen screeched, making the girl cringe. "What is she doing over there?"

"She jus' said sompin' 'bout visitin' kin in Ireland. But she been gone over a year. Ah doan knows if it got nuthin' ter do wid Mist' Rhett gettin' a divorce."

"So they divorced." Suellen nodded cooly, a triumphant gleam in her eyes. "I suppose he left her well–off."

"Yas'm, she is." Pansy shifted her feet nervously.

"Has he married again?"

"Mist' Rhett?" Pansy twisted her hands timidly. "Yas'm, he did. He married..." She thought a minute, desperately trying to remember. "Oh, Anne Hampton of Charleston."

"Miss Scarlett must be livid." Suellen smiled at her sister's misfortune.

"No'm, she took it all right."

Before Suellen could further interrogate her, Dilcey and Pork spotted her, hurrying over.

"You, Pansy! Lawd, is it good ter see home folks! You come ober an' tell use whut you been up ter!" The two negro servants, turned out in their Sunday best, caught up and whisked her away to a corner.

Pauline and Eulalie looked absolutely mortified. "Scarlett divorced! Good Lord, what will become of us?"

Everyone knew that divorced people weren't received. But as an accepted addendum, it was shameful to even be related to a divorced person. To southerners, marriage was ironclad. Break the marriage, and you disgrace the family name.

"Scarlett always was mighty flighty." Suellen nodded coldly. "I wouldn't be surprised if she's forgotten all about us by now."

"Oh, the Robillards are tainted!" Pauline moaned. Eulalie took out a handkerchief and blew her nose, softly crying.

"Eulalie, don't cry! Your father meant a lot to you, didn't he?" Mary and Margaret Telfair descended upon her, comforting her as they moved toward the fresh grave.

Suellen laughed. Pauline glared at her sharply. "Susan Elinor O'Hara! To laugh at a funeral! Your mother would be turning in her grave to hear you now!"

"Oh, Aunty! When Eulalie...I couldn't help myself!" She buried her face in Will's chest to hide her laughter.

Louise Audley walked by, tut-tutting when she saw Suellen. "Poor girl. She misses her grandfather terribly."

On hearing this remark, Suellen's shoulders shook even harder.

* * *

Later, Suellen, Will, Pauline, Eulalie, Pansy, and Mother Superior from the convent of the Sisters of Mercy, representing Sister Mary Joseph, were present in Lawyer Dawson's office for the reading of the will.

"To my wife, Solange Robillard, I leave my entire property, including the house and grounds, with the exception of three shares of fifteen hundred dollars, one each going to my three daughters, Pauline, Eulalie, and Ellen." Dawson looked up from the will. "Mr. Robillard was a very stubborn man. He refused to take out a new will, even after the passing of Mrs. Robillard and his daughter, Ellen. As a result, Pauline and Eulalie, named as first beneficiaries to Solange Robillard, will inherit the house and grounds. As for Ellen, I understand her husband, Gerald O'Hara, has also passed. Therefore, her sum of fifteen hundred dollars will be split three ways to her daughters. I understand the Charleston convent will take Miss Caroline Irene's share as a donation.

Mother Superior nodded.

Pansy looked fit to die as she tried to speak to the man. "Mist' Dawson...Miss Scarlett...she tole me ter tek care o' anythin' lef' ter her...she lef' dis paper sayin' so." She hastily withdrew it and showed it to Dawson.

The lawyer nodded. "All right. You'll take care of Miss Scarlett's money."

Suellen's face had taken on an ashen pallor since hearing of the news. "Will! Five hundred dollars! We don't even make that much in a year!"

Will nodded slowly. A small, relieved smile surfaced on his face. "Heck, Sue. Tara can pay her taxes this spring, after all."

* * *

"Tara!" Suellen exclaimed, safe in the privacy of her and Will's room. "Always Tara with you! We are handed five hundred dollars, the largest sum we've ever had at one time! And the first thing you say is, 'I guess Tara's taxes will be paid, after all.' And then you tell me the rest will be used to hire out hands for Alex Fontaine? You have no romance whatsoever!"

"Sue, it ain't that way." Will quietly folded his hands in his pockets placidly.

"It is so! You have no emotions about anything! Heaven knows I've tried again and again with you! But you will...not...show it!" She threw her arms up in frustration. "I'm convinced the only thing you care about is Tara! I hate Tara! I've always hated Tara and I always will hate Tara!" She pounded the back of a chair and sat down, crying audibly.

"Sue, don't throw a fit."

Will said it so firmly, she immediately calmed down. She sat a minute quietly, staring at her immovable husband. Then, realizing she'd allowed herself to lose, she became heatedly angry once again. She stood quickly.

"Will, what on earth am I supposed to do with you? I've tried and I'm tired of trying! I can't stand you! I despise stupid, silly farmers who care for nothing more than their stupid, silly farms!" She threw herself down on the bed in a torrent of tears.

"Reckon I oughta stop tryin', too." Will quietly left the room, brushing past Pauline and Eulalie without even seeing them.

* * *

Charles Mercanton made his way over to the bar and sat down beside Anthony Worcester. "Well, my good fellow. Chance meeting you here. I didn't know you frequented the pub."

Worcester shook his head. "I always drink after a funeral."

Mercanton nodded. "Some show, wasn't it? The whole city turned out for Pierre Robillard. Funny, not one of them liked the man."

"Who did?" Worcester sighed. "Duty, honor, and respect for one's elders. That's why everyone turned out the way they did."

"Ah, well. Just because we're reconstructed back into the Union doesn't mean we're going to drop our customs."

As he was about to take a drink, Mercanton stopped and lowered his glass. "Hello. What have we here?"

Will Benteen was sitting in a dark corner of the pub by himself, brooding silently. Judging by the several empty decanters surrounding him, it looked to the two men like he'd had a few too many drinks.

Mercanton gestured to Worcester, and the two made their way over to his table, sitting down on either side of him.

"Well, if it isn't Mr. Benteen! Pardon me, sir. I hadn't thought yoiu were the drinking type."

"I ain't." Will's soft, flat voice sounded as he took another long drink.

"Oh, here. Have some more." Worcester filled his glass hastily. "Then do tell us why you are here."

"Women," Will murmured quietly, "are the damndest race."

"An argument with the wife, hey?"

Will took off his glasses, studied them, and set them on the table. His shirt was unbuttoned at the collar and his pale-pinkish hair fell over his forehead boyishly. The two men on either side of him stared at each other incredulously. Will looked downright common!

"She can't stand me." Will said plainly. "She told me so herself. She can't stand me."

Mercanton laughed. "Is that all? Every wife says that sometime in her married life."

"Nossir, my Sue ain't like that. She really means it." For the first time, traces of bitterness were evident in Will's eyes. "I tried to make her happy. I tried to give her security. She wouldn't have that. Then I allowed to go along with Sue turnin' me into a respectable country gentleman. Even that didn't work. Nope, she ain't one of those. She really means what she says. An' I jus' can't go on tryin'. She won't have it."

"Now just who wears the pants in your family?" Mercanton roared. "She can't just lay them ground rules and expect you to follow them! If you've got any sense, you'll go back and tell her to straighten up! She can't tell you what to do!"

Worcester nodded his agreement.

Will slowly shook his head. No matter what Suellen did, he respected her too much to go and do a thing like that. "No. Can't...can't do that."

"Then we'll drink again." Mercanton hastily refilled the glasses and winked at Worcester as they got Will to down round after round.

* * *

Suellen sniffed and blew her nose again. "Aunty, he's been gone for hours! What if he never comes back?"

Pauline patted her gently. "There, there, darling. I'm sure he will. Just give the man time. He must have been terribly angry to get you so upset."

After Will had left, Pauline and Eulalie had comforted Suellen, who had cried a great deal in her room. She eventually choked out a story about how mean and horrid Will had been. Since, her aunts had been deeply sympathetic. Naturally, this wasn't what actually happened, but Suellen couldn't tell her aunts she had practically driven him away. It would only make her sound a hypocrite, as now the only thing she wanted was to have him back.

Eulalie shook her head reprovingly. "Men. They never think of us poor womenfolk. He probably wants you to worry where he is so you'll be quick to forgive him when he finally does show up." She turned to Suellen. "If I were you, I wouldn't do what he wants!"

"I don't care if you're right! I just want to see if—" She stopped. The room became silent as the three ladies listened to the sounds coming from outside.

"_...Here's to the Confederacy, strong are we an' brave._

_Like patriots o' old, we'll fight our heritage to save!_

_An' rather than submit to shame, to die we would prefer,_

_So cheer for our Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star!"_

The slurred, off-key voices struck terror in the hearts of the women, Suellen worst of all. For, through them, she could hear the flat, melodic howel of her husband.

Pauline and Eulalie knew it, too. "Sue, what is your husband doing, singing in the streets? Doesn't he know that singing a song like that is liable to get him shot?"

"He's drunk!" Suellen peered out the window in utter astonishment. There was Will, leaning against Charles Mercanton and Anthony Worcester, stumbling up the walk as they carried on their hair-raising rendition of 'The Bonnie Blue Flag.'

"Oh, aunties!" Suellen's vision blurred with tears. "Will's never been drunk before! Whatever shall I do?"

"Lord, with how many times your father got intoxicated, you of all people should know! Humor him and put him to bed, that's all you can do."

Suellen nodded tearfully. "Oh, how awful! The whole city probably heard them! How could he do this to me?" She opened the door and stepped back as the two men shoved Will through, calling, "Give 'er heck, Will!"

"You boys go home right now!" Suellen shouted to them before slamming the door and turning around. "Now, Will. I–"

But Will, grabbing furniture for support, had already swung haltingly into their room. Suellen shrugged and followed, bidding her aunts good night.

"Okay, Will. Be a good boy and come to bed, now." She touched his shoulder, then shrank back with a gasp as he turned around.

The disguise was practically gone and Will as Clayton County knew him stood before her. But his eyes were sunken and bloodshot, and more revealing than they had ever been in his entire life.

"Will!" Suellen drew to a far corner of the room. For the first time, she was deathly frightened of her husband. There was resolve and hurt burning in his pale blue eyes. And Suellen knew better than anyone that when Will made up his mind, there was no changing it.

He slowly swung over to her and stood, looking down at his frightened little wife hesitantly, not quite sure what to do. Then his hands came up from his sides, enclosing around Suellen's white neck.

She screamed, which Will shushed by putting his mouth over hers. His breath smelled nauseatingly like whiskey, and Suellen tried to pull away. But his hands traveled up into her hair, where they stayed tight, forcing her head to stay close to his.

Suellen finally managed to turn her head away from his disgusting kiss, gasping for air. "Will, what are you doing?"

He captured her back in the kiss, his hands moving to her back. Suellen tried to pull away in panic as she realized he was undoing the buttons of her dress. She beat against him in fury, but his arms were like iron.

He caught her up and kissed her deeply as the black gown fell to the floor. Suellen could no longer find her voice to scream as he let her breathe, deftly undoing the laces of her stays. She was dimly aware that this didn't feel like Will at all. Unlike their wedding night, when his movements had been gentle and inquiring, they were now ruthless and strong.

She looked into his eerie face, which still bore no emotion at all. She felt hopelessly trapped in a nightmare that she was too weak to fight.

He tossed her down carelessly, not leaving her alone for long. Both were feeling quite overwhelmed as he violently pressed his mouth on hers, his hands stilling the trembling of her body. The last either could remember was Suellen staring blankly at the ceiling as Will held her close, his lips slowly traveling down her throat.

* * *

Later, Will woke with a splitting headache. He rubbed his forehead, moaning softly, and sat up in bed. Swiftly, he leaned over the side of the bed and vomited.

Sitting back up, he listened to the night uneasily. Something wasn't right. He looked about the room, his eyes finally falling on the prone figure of his wife beside him.

She lay twisted at odd angles, her golden hair strewn wildly, encircling her peaceful sleeping face. Her bare body shivered in the night air, her breasts glowing radiantly at him in the moonlight.

Will stared down at his hands as if they belonged to a hideous monster. "Good Lord!" He grabbed his head in shame, shaking it slowly. "Oh, good Lord," he whispered. "What have I done?"

* * *

"PlEEs FoRGiv mE. iv GonE Hom.

-WiLL"

Suellen set the note back on the night table, where she'd found it. Will had left without her. He was ashamed to face her, and tired of Savannah's stuffy falseness.

_He's homesick, too,_ Suellen thought coldly. "Well, he can have his stupid Tara! I won't give him the satisfaction of watching me come running home to him as quick as I can! He can worry to death, for all I care. I'll stay in Savannah."

She gathered her courage and boldly stepped into the drawing room. "Aunt Pauline? Aunt Eulalie?"

The two sisters, bags in hand, came traipsing into the room. "Yes, dear?"

She stared at their belongings. "You–you're not leaving, are you?"

"Yes, dear. We must go home. After that public disgrace last night...and father's good and buried...we have to leave."

"You're not going to leave me here alone?" Suellen exclaimed, fright tinting her eyes.

"Isn't your husband with you?"

"He left this morning." Suellen said it so quietly, her aunts just barely heard her.

"Oh, my!" Eulalie and Pauline, mildly disapproving, made clucking noises softly. "Well, you can always go to back to Charleston with us."

"No thanks, I..." Suellen's mind trailed off. Yes. Why shouldn't she go to Charleston? It'd be perfect. She could get far away from the people who knew her here in Georgia, and she could still have her fun. Best of all, if Will inquired into her whereabouts, he wouldn't be able to find her. It would drive him crazy!

Suellen smiled. "On second thought...I do hate to impose, but I would so love to visit Charleston! I haven't been there since I was knee-high to a grasshopper."

As her aunts nodded agreement and she turned to pack, Suellen tossed her head triumphantly. "You'll see, Mr. Benteen! You won't get my goat! I can manage perfectly fine without you!"

She turned to the note on the table and a lump formed in her throat. She swallowed hard. "At least...I hope so."


	8. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

"Come to Daddy," Will sat on the floor of the living room, holding an old Confederate bill out to Young Master Robert, trying to entice him to crawl across the floor.

Since returning home, Will had thrown himself up to the two most important things to him–Tara and his children. He and Wade tended the planting every morning and played with his children all evening. The negro servants never asked him anything about Savannah or why he had returned without Suellen. They were honestly glad to have back the real Will, not the stranger who had left Tara so uncomfortably. There was a joy and animation about Tara now, and they relished in the happiness of the household. Will was eternally grateful for their understanding.

Martha laid her auburn head on her father's lap. Behind them, Jane looked about curiously as she wobbled slowly on her newfound legs. Ella and Susie ran up and down the stairs, giggling, in some sort of game they had invented. Wade sat on his knees behind Young Master Robert, ready to catch the baby if his arms fell out from under him.

Will's heart soared as the tiny baby crawled a couple of inches toward him. "That's right, little fella. You can do it."

With Wade's help, Young Master Robert made his way across the floor and into his father's arms.

"What a big boy you're gettin'!" Will exclaimed. "I missed you, pardner."

Robert Lee's face had Will's plain, malarial features, only they were more soft and round. His sky blue eyes exactly mirrored the color of Will's. Even at six months, the baby had developed the long angularity of frame of his father as well. The only thing that kept the boy from looking exactly like Will was the fact that his hair was Suellen's golden hue. Once the boy grew, he would be the handsome image of his homely father.

"He's an intelligent little mite," Wade tickled the boy affectionately.

"He ain't the only one." Will wrestled with Wade playfully, careful not to disturb Martha, who was still sleeping in his lap.

Lying on the floor, Will looked up to see Jane staring down at him. "How'd you get up there, honey pie?"

The toddler laughed, shaking her soft brown hair from side to side.

"Come here, you little monkey." He reached up for her. Jane shrieked playfully and hastily waddled off.

Will laughed softly. He hadn't been this happy in a long time. Presently, he sat up and looked down at the girl in his lap. Martha was a pretty young chit. She had the physical characteristics of her grandmother, Ellen Robillard. Her tilting eyelashes, thin mouth, and imperial nose solely belonged to Suellen's mother. Her auburn hair possibly came from Gerald O'Hara or Will's relatives, who had a tendency to be fair-haired. But she had the temperament of a sweet young filly foal, and everyone in the county adored her. Will was immensely proud of his beautiful little daughter.

He coddled her fondly, careful not to wake her as Wade held Young Master Robert, reading aloud to him from _David Copperfield._ "'Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show. To begin my life with the beginning of my life, I record that I was born...'"

Susie came marching in, carrying Jane in her arms. Stray pale-blond wisps of hair floated around her straight braids as she entered in a huff. Other than having the color of Will's hair, Susie was Suellen all over again. She had the same face, the same short stature, and the same huffy temperament.

Behind her, Ella followed. Ella didn't look at all like Scarlett's child. Her ginger hair and timid behavior belonged to her father, Frank Kennedy. She had a rabbity face, just like he had, which made her quite an ugly child. She was terribly skinny and had ratty braids that stuck out at awkward angles, refusing to lie flat. Scarlett had always despised Ella because she was a nuisance and not pretty at all. Suellen held similar feelings for the child, for all that she was Frank's daughter. But Will loved her like one of his own girls, knowing she desperately needed that love and security she had so long lacked.

"Daddy, Jane was on the staircase!" Susie yelled sharply. "You know she shouldn't be playing there! She could fall! Watch her better next time!"

She set the bawling toddler down, leaving with Ella following close behind.

Will smiled at Susie's independence. She was never afraid to speak her mind or do what she thought was right. He held the same admiration for her that he did for Suellen. He was able to shush Jane in a few seconds, murmuring softly. "Come now, baby. You warn't thinkin' your curiosity would get you in trouble someday. I'd rather it bein' now than later. Hush, sweetie. That's a good girl."

Martha stirred in his lap and looked up at him, rubbing her eyes. "Daddy, I'm hungry."

"You are." Will slowly got up, holding Jane in one arm and Martha in the other. "You hungry, Wade?"

"Sure, Uncle Will!" Wade closed the book and got up, carefully holding Will's only son.

"Set him down in his crib upstairs, then come down to the kitchen." Will slowly swung toward the back of the house, his daughters laughing at his funny gait.

"Let's see what grub we can throw together." He turned his head, searching for his eldest daughter and niece. "Susie, Ella, want a snack?"

Soon, he had all the children seated at the dinner table, nibbling on pieces of bread. Young Master Robert was sleeping safely in the nursery and the negro servants were seated in front of the fireplace, relaxing. Will watched his children with pride and contentment. He didn't want to be anywhere else but right there at Tara with his kids.

Susie looked up at her father then. "Daddy, where's mother?"

Will closed his eyes. He had known this day would come, sooner or later. "Reckon she's with her aunts in Charleston, sweetheart."

"Why hasn't she come home?"

"Honey, I don't think she wants to come home."

* * *

Suellen followed Eulalie, Pauline and her husband into the dipladated hall for yet another ball. The state of South Carolina, Charleston most of all, was under harsh military law. But even that wasn't enough to dishearten its citizens. There were social gatherings most every night in the city, and Suellen was trying her hardest to enjoy herself.

But somehow, it was so much of an effort. She stayed with her aunt Eulalie in her town house on the battery. She enjoyed being so aristocratic, even though most callers talked about the mesalliance between her mother and father behind her back. Most of all, all the lavish parties, the likes of which she hadn't seen since her childhood, enthralled her. But somehow, it felt all wrong. And it made her terribly angry with herself just to think of it.

Her aunts went off to the matron's corner to converse with their colleagues as Suellen stood alone along the wall. She looked wistfully out at the dance floor, not even noticing the young man who came up alongside her. "May I have the honor of the next dance, madam?"

"Of course," She gave the man her hand as he led her onto the floor. He bowed, which she returned emotionlessly. A lithe and graceful little man, she noticed. Almost the exact opposite of Will. She looked up at her partner as his arm went around her waist. Her own husband hardly ever had the privilege of placing his hand there, and he had the right to! Her mind screamed at her. This was all wrong! This should be Will's face she was looking into, not this...this _stranger's! _And in spite of herself, she saw Will's face before her. That simple, dumbly devoted face that irritated her to no end. She couldn't do it. She didn't have the heart to hurt him.

"I'm sorry, sir. Excuse me." She hastily turned and fled to the powder room. Grateful to be alone, the tears she'd fought hard to keep back flowed freely. She was so confused.

* * *

Wade looked eagerly about the Georgia countryside around him. He turned to his uncle, who was driving the wagon toward Jonesboro. "Uncle Will, when are you gonna tell me why I'm going with you?"

Will kept his eyes on the road, slowly shifting his dearly-missed straw to the other side of his mouth. "Reckoned you could send a telegram for me. Never warn't one much for writin'."

Wade could tell the subject made Will uneasy. "I thought you said you needed the horse shod and you were picking up more cottonseed from Bullard's store."

"I am. You know I like to combine trips. 'S stupid to go out every week for one little thing. Jonesboro's an all-day trip."

They sat in silence, before Wade haltingly spoke up. "Uncle Will...this telegram you want me to send...does it have anything to do with...with Aunt Suellen?"

Will's shoulders slightly moved in what Wade took to be a sigh. "Reckon it does."

Nothing more was said until they got to Jonesboro. They dropped Sherman off with the blacksmith and made their way on foot to Bullard's store. There, they stopped and chatted with old man Bullard, who loved to talk with the customers, especially county folk.

Eventually, they found themselves making their way toward the telegram office. Will pulled an address out of his pocket and handed it to Wade. "Here. If I tell you what to write, I'm hopin' you'll write it."

* * *

AINT ASKING YOU HOME STOP KIDS MISS YOU STOP ITS YOUR DECISION STOP WILL

"How'd he find me?" Suellen threw down the telegram, stomping her feet in anger. He knew her only too well. Why did he always have to play on her sentiments? She'd never given the children a single thought. But of course they'd missed her!

"Oh, damn him!" Suellen crossed her arms sullenly. She didn't care if she'd sworn, which was most unladylike. This time, she couldn't think of any sensible words strong enough to express her anger.

Her plan hadn't worked. And she was just getting to like Charleston, too. Having abandoned the mourning of her grandfather that she hadn't felt, she was finally able to wear pretty clothes and attend balls. She had even finally warmed up enough to dance with the dashing Charlestonian gentry. She hadn't danced since she was fifteen years old. Will's disability made it impossible for him to dance, and aside from that, a farm trying hard to make ends meet allowed no room for reels and waltzes.

Rosemary Butler, Rhett's sister, had shown Suellen around Charleston and had introduced her to the inner circles of its society. Rosemary liked Suellen far better than she had liked Scarlett, and didn't breathe a word to her friend about Scarlett's Charleston visit.

Suellen found Anne Hampton Butler to be most charming company. She believed this was because Anne reminded her so much of Melanie Wilkes. She could also see why her sister loathed the lady so. Scarlett had never liked Melanie.

Though she loved the company of his wife, Suellen still couldn't stand Rhett Butler. He always looked at her jeeringly, which made her feel most uncomfortable. And he always asked insinuating questions that made her want to slap him.

"Ah, here's the lovely Miss Suellen O'Hara of Tara. When was the last time we met? Oh, yes, your mammy was dying, of course. How is everyone in Georgia?" He had bowed to her mockingly, making a travesty of the whole formality.

_Mammy loved you! How dare you speak of her that way?_ Suellen swallowed her words and replied coldly, "Everyone is fine, thank you. But that is no longer any of your business."

"Touché," Rhett had nodded, smiling broadly. "Please forgive me. I am curious at heart. And pray, how is your sister?"

"Carreen couldn't be happier, if you must know. She lives in the convent here in Charleston, so I'm surprised you haven't seen her recently."

She lifted her head triumphantly as she saw Rhett's face cloud over. She'd known he was asking after Scarlett. _Well, here's one woman who won't ever have the wool pulled over her eyes again!_

"Rhett! Suellen is our guest. Please do make her feel more welcome." Anne had come up and placed a gentle hand on her husband's strong arm. She smiled up at him trustingly, then turned again to Suellen. "Please do forgive him. He's awfully rude with visitors. I've been trying to break him of the habit. Now, won't you sit down?"

For the rest of her stay, Rhett was on his best behavior. Anne definitely had an effect on him, one Suellen felt was for the better.

Eulalie had gone to the market, so Suellen was alone. She stewed over her dilemma moodily. Oh, her husband was just impossible! She absolutely couldn't stand him! But the kids did need her...

Suellen thought Jane was dim and a troublemaker to boot. She had no affection or admiration for her youngest daughter whatsoever. Robert Lee was Will reincarnated, and everything about Will was liable to drive her crazy right now. She detested Martha because Martha was beautiful and would one day be prettier than her. She couldn't stand Ella and Wade was so shy. But Susie...

Suellen loved her oldest daughter and looked on her with pride. Susie was a smart girl and wasn't afraid to speak her mind. She reminded Suellen so much of herself, she showered the child with affection. Yes, Susie was her mother's pet.

Suellen marched into her room and grabbed her carpetbag. She would go home. But only because her little Susie needed her.

* * *

"Whut you mek o' de robberies down at Mimosa?" Big Sam wiped his brow and continued hoeing the rows of freshly planted cottonseed.

"Don't worry, Sam. Them bandits won't get Tara. Boo an' I are back on night watch." Will's red hands gripped the handles of the plow as he and Dolly slowly made their way down the rows, Pork dropping seeds behind them. Wade hoed with Sam, keeping up without struggle, as he always had in past years.

Big Sam glanced at the boy beside him admirably. "Mist' Wade tuhnin' inter a right good fe'el han'."

Wade beamed. At Tara, this was a compliment.

"Thank you for the ride, Betsy!" Suellen waved out front as the Tarleton buggy rattled off. She stood a minute hesitantly, fingering her carpetbag. Then she sighed and strode up to the house.

Everyone in the fields turned to look. Suellen was wearing a red taffeta gown with a narrow hoop and a neckline that bordered on absurdity. The servants gaped. They were so buried at Tara, they had believed such gowns no longer existed. They noticed Suellen's cheeks were pink and her curls encircled her head provocatively. For the first time since the war, she looked beautiful and prosperous.

They turned and looked at Will, who was watching Suellen passively. He took off his straw hat and scratched his head. His pinkish hair was so damp it lay plastered to his head. His face and clothes were caked with sweat and the blood red dust from the ground. His hands wore various shades of red, black, blue, and purple from the multiple callouses and bruises he sported. His shirt was torn at the sleeves and unbuttoned at the collar. His expression was unreadable as he watched Suellen.

Their eyes met for a second. Suellen first felt cornered when caught by his stare, then it softened into one of forgiveness, with the slightest hint of longing. Then it darkened into anger, and she tossed her head before moving inside.

Will lazily turned back around and continued plowing. The servants followed his lead and were again back in their uninterrupted routine. They respected Will's silence, but wished he would say something about it all the same. To them, it was painfully obvious how unsuited the two were for each other.

* * *

Susie was thrilled to have her mother home. But to Suellen's dismay, she'd come home to find her daughter and Ella close friends. And the girl, oblivious to Suellen's tart distaste, followed them everywhere.

Dilcey raised a fit when she heard Suellen was sleeping in Susie and Ella's room. "Dat's downright scan'lous! You an' de mister not sharin' a bed! Wait'll de county gits wind o' dis. Miss Ellen be tuhnin' in her grabe, right now!"

Suellen sniffed coldly. "I don't care. I don't trust _him _and I will not have anything further to do with _him._"

Dilcey grudgingly relented, but always carried on a mumbling storm at bedtime how, "it ain't ter be borne!"

Hearing her, Will finally stopped her one night. "Leave Miss Suellen alone, Dilcey. She's got a right to be mad at me. Jus' let it be."

"Lawd, Mist' Will. Yer a sight too good fo' her."

Will slowly shifted the straw in his mouth, staring down at Dilcey placidly. "Reckon I ain't."

* * *

Will quietly laid down on the back porch, shotgun in hand. It must be coming on close to four in the morning, he thought sleepily. Almost time for the day's work to begin. Perhaps he'd just catch a few winks before getting up for work...

He abruptly woke to Boo's barks and sharply sat up. "What is it, boy?" He quickly made his way over to the hound dog, who whined and darted off toward the negro cabins.

Seeing a figure lurking around the smokehouse, Will stopped and fired.

The man swiftly darted away into the night.

"Scared 'em off," Will murmured.

Boo still whined, moving about restlessly.

It was then that Will turned to see another dark shadow moving closer to the back door of the house. His eyes narrowed. Tara's meat supply was one thing, but womenfolk and children were entirely another.

He swiftly turned and fired at the intruder. After taking a few swinging steps, he dove to the ground at the resounding boom. This intruder was armed.

Boo ran ahead to attack the man, blindly trying to defend his master. Will winced when he heard the crack again, and Boo dropped to the ground in a sickening thud, whimpering.

He stood and fired again, glad this time to see the man turning toward the woods. He must've had only two bullets left.

He slowly moved over to the dog, prepared to find his faithful companion dead. To his relief, the dog was still alive, though just barely. He'd been shot in the side, and lay in a massive pool of blood.

"'S all right, buddy. You'll be okay," Will gently soothed the animal, carefully picking him up and heading back toward the house.

"Will? Will!" Suellen, clutching a wrap to her, dashed out onto the porch and stopped when she saw him. She rearranged her anxious face into one of cool aloofness. "Oh, here's my husband now. I was wondering if I still had one."

Will looked solemnly down at the dog in his arms. "Boo was shot. You gotta help me, Sue. We don't got much time if we're to save him."

"Take him into the kitchen," Suellen ushered them inside. In her hurried haste, she had forgotten that she'd never liked Boo. She'd even lost track of the fact that she was mad at Will. Somehow, her husband had gotten her to focus all her attention on saving the wounded animal.

Will grabbed a towel and gently laid Boo on it. The dog panted heavily, sprawled on the kitchen table.

"There's some iodine and opium in the medicine chest. Get those." Suellen pulled several bandages from a cabinet and began heating some water on the stove.

Will did as she asked and set the bottles down, gently administering the drugs to Boo.

Suellen watched his deft hands tend the wound, keeping the dog calm without uttering a word. She gently placed a hand on his arm, subconsciously making sure he was all right.

He unwound the bandages and paused, not sure how to wrap the gaping wound.

"Let me," Suellen took the bandages and carefully wound them around Boo's heaving side. "There. He'll be all right."

"If it's all the same to you, I'll stay up with him."

Suellen, still puzzled over her own emotions, took that time to really look at her husband. A night-old beard bristled his worn, weathered face. The lock of his pale-pinkish hair that refused to conform fell over his forehead boyishly, peeping out from under his battered hat. The straw in his mouth completed the picture as he looked down at the dog with his compassionate blue eyes.

"Will," Suellen's eyes blurred with tears. "Don't ever change!"

She threw her arms around Will, hugging him tightly.

"Don't, Sue."

She pulled back, dismayed at the definite note in his voice.

Will quietly placed his hands in his pockets. "If I were you, which I ain't, I wouldn't be so quick to trust me. Do another thing like that an' I may end up takin' you right here."

"Oh, Will, please! Can't we forget that night?" She made another move toward him, but he caught her wrists and held them tight, looking directly into her eyes.

"No, Sue. I can't forget that night. Because I will never forgive myself for what I did to you."

"But I can! Will, I need you!" Suellen desperately tried to throw herself at him, but he held her back.

"Don't think I didn't see how fine you looked when you came back from Charleston. Don't be kiddin' me, Sue. You said you can't stand me. That life is what you're suited for. It's what makes you happy, Sue. Not this. Never this. And I...I can never make you happy."

He turned her loose and stumped over to the window, looking out at the night air.

"Oh, Will." Suellen slowly walked up behind him. "I didn't mean what I said. It's just...I guess I felt frustrated, always playing second fiddle to Tara. It seems silly now, but I was so jealous that Tara always came first for you. And I know that I had everything I could have wanted in Charleston. But I didn't have you. When I visited with people whom I knew were lying to my face, I missed your honesty. When greeted with all those bows and curtsies, I missed your simple wave. When sitting down to dinner, I missed your lack of table manners. I missed everything about you, even your Cracker looks and your dumb devotion to Tara. And Will...I wouldn't have you any other way."

Will turned from the window, gazing at her from under his long, sandy lashes. It seemed preposterous. Could he really make her happy, just by being the way he was? He slowly placed his hands on her shoulders, holding her gently. Suellen's head tipped back, offering her mouth up to his. He stared at it emotionlessly, not knowing quite what to do. Her eyes laughingly glared a challenge: _Well? Are you going to kiss me or aren't you?_

He didn't disappoint her.

* * *

Only a few months later, Tara received a letter from Ireland. In it, Scarlett O'Hara commanded that Wade be sent to University that fall.

'_His father went to University, so he must go, too. I trust you will see him off when the semester starts. I plan to visit next summer, when I can get away._

_All my love,_

_Scarlett O'Hara_"

Will almost smiled when he saw her signature. He could tell she was still not accustomed to not being a married woman. He could still see where she had blotted out 'Butler' at the end of her name.

"Scarlett's hateful! She knows Wade's old enough to put honest work into the farm, so she yanks him away, just like that!" Suellen pouted after reading the letter.

Will gently took her in his arms. "I don't see what we can do 'bout it, darlin'. Wade's her son. We have to do as she says." He kissed her hair, trying to hide how remorseful he felt.

"Oh, Will." Suellen smiled and buried her head in his shirt. He always smelled like cotton, hay, and leather. Suellen thought it perfectly lovely.

Ever since her confession the night Boo was shot, she no longer felt frustrated with Will. She felt so safe with him and was soothed so easily by his words. In turn, she tried to return the favor tenfold with affection. She leaned against him happily and laughed. Anybody looking in from the outside would think they were in love!

"The hard part's gonna be tellin' Wade." Will slowly moved off in search of the boy.

Boo whined and got up to follow him. Recovered from his wound, the dog now had a funny side-step to his gait and his side was extremely sensitive, frequently shivering. Everyone in the county found man and dog two of a kind as they got around everywhere together, walking with a halting gait.

As he sat Wade down in the kitchen and told him the news, Will concentrated his attention on the dog, not even finding the strength to meet the boy's eyes.

* * *

Wade closed his eyes as the train slowed to a stop at Jonesboro's depot. This train would take him away to Atlanta, and from there to Athens. To the University of Georgia.

The hardest thing he'd ever had to do was say goodbye to Tara. He'd never really known his other homes very well. He had been too young to remember living in Aunt Pitty's house. And Scarlett and Rhett's Atlanta mansion lived as a nightmare in his memory. Tara was the only real home he had ever known.

Will placed a calm hand on Wade's shoulder. "You'll be okay, son."

Wade swallowed. "Golly, Uncle Will!" was all he could choke out. He wanted badly to tell Will that he didn't want to go, he didn't want to leave home. He sighed. Truth was, he was afraid to go to Athens.

"Uncle Will..." Wade looked at him uneasily as Will picked up his bag and moved toward the slowing train.

Will turned, shifting his straw to the other side of his mouth. "Yes, Wade?"

"Isn't there some way you can not make me go? I don't want to leave! Please, Uncle Will! I don't want to go!" Wade sucked in his breath, trying hard to fight the tears that threatened to spill over.

Will, remembering his sister, dropped the bag and stooped down to the child, holding him tightly by the arms. "Hey. Look at me. It's okay, pardner. You can cry. Don't try to hold it in. It's all right. I know you're really scared right now. Don't be ashamed. Anyone would be scared."

Wade let his tears flow, nodding as he looked Will in the eyes.

"Now, we don't always get what we want in life. You're not gonna like everythin' you're faced with. Believe me, I hate this just as much as you do. So you're gonna have to be a brave. For both of us. Listen, you get on that train and you go be the bravest man you can be. Cause you're gonna be great, buddy. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. An' I want you to know that there will always be a place for you at Tara."

"Thanks, Uncle Will!" Wade hugged him fiercely.

The train braked to a stop.

Will grabbed Wade's bag and patted his shoulder. "Ready, son?"

Wade nodded.

"Okay." Will smiled and stood.

He stayed at the depot, watching the train until it disappeared from sight.

* * *

The glowing orange sun was setting over the horizon as Suellen came out on the back porch to find Will standing there, watching the sun set. Boo sat at his feet.

"Be careful tonight," Suellen nodded at his shotgun.

"They already tried once. It'll be a while 'fore they try again."

"You'll miss him, won't you?"

Will knew she was referring to Wade. He slowly shifted the straw in his mouth. "Tara'll miss him."

Suellen sighed. "Tara will always come first for you, won't it?"

"Depends on how you look at it." Will stumped over and stood behind Suellen, putting his arms around her. "When I say 'Tara,' what do you see?"

"I see fields and trees and cotton." Suellen replied shortly. "What do you see?"

Will smiled down at her. "I see individuals. People and animals throwin' their hearts into Tara every day. I see yer pa, the house, and everythin' it stands for." He held her tight, looking out again. "Tara's a part of you, Sue. Just as you're a part of it. Tara's everythin' to me, Sue. An' I would willingly give my life for anyone and anything that makes up Tara."

Suellen was crying, leaning against him to keep herself up. Will held her closer, continuing to look out at the fields. The first stars appeared as the sky gave way to night.

"I love you, Suellen Benteen."

"I love you, Will Benteen."


	9. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

Will stood at the Jonesboro depot, lounging on his pegleg.

Scarlett O'Hara suddenly surfaced in front of him, hugging him ferociously.

"Landsake, Scarlett, you ought to warn a man. Nearly knocked me off my pin. It's good to see you."

"Oh, it's so good to see _you_! I've been gone far too long!" She stood back to look at him. "You haven't changed a bit!"

"Lord, Scarlett. Don't nobody in Clayton County ever change. You oughta know that." Will's eyes passively took in his sister-in-law. Perhaps she was so surprised he hadn't changed because she had changed so much herself.

Her brown-black hair fell freely around her shoulders. She wore several wool skirts of varying hues under her red dress and shirtwaist. She wore high, striped stockings under her heavy Irish boots. And, as Will had noticed when he'd hugged her, she wasn't wearing any stays.

Scarlett laughed. "You wouldn't believe the time I've been having in Ireland! I have so much to tell you! But first thing's first." Scarlett gestured to Pansy, who walked up to Will with a toddler in her arms. "Will, I want you to meet Katie Colum O'Hara."

Will gazed down at the child in Pansy's arms. She had dark hair and olive skin. She wore similar garments to those of her mother. She looked to be about three years old. Will stepped back and nodded. The girl didn't look like Scarlett at all, but he had a feeling he knew who the father was.

"Pansy'll have to ride in the back with the peas," Will gestured to the wagon. "I decided to run to the store while I was out here."

Scarlett shook her head happily as Will helped her onto the seat of the rickety old wagon. Will always used the wagon and he always combined trips. She'd been so homesick, even the tiniest little details meant far more to her than before.

Pansy handed Katie Colum up to Scarlett and climbed into the back of the wagon. Seeing she was in, Will flicked the reins. "Giddap, Sherman."

"Tell me all the news, Will. I haven't heard anything from you!"

"Reckon that's because we never hear nuthin' from you."

Scarlett tossed her head. "Fiddle-dee-dee, Will! I'm a busy woman. Anyway, what has happened since I left?"

"Well, Scarlett, I guess I'll start with the kids. Our Susie an' your Ella are thick as thieves now. Susie bein' the younger one gives Ella the upper hand, an' it's done her a world of good. Our Martha's seven now and Jane was four last September. Suellen had her baby, too. A boy, it was."

"A boy? Oh, Will, you must be so thrilled!"

"Wait'll you see him, Scarlett. Warn't no finer boy ever created." Though his words held no emotion, Scarlett could tell there was pride behind them.

He coughed. "Your Grandpa Robillard died two winters ago. You know that?"

"Yes. I sent Pansy to attend in my place." Scarlett smiled down at her child. "So many other things made it impossible for me to get away."

She sighed. "Speaking of children, did my son leave for University as instructed?"

"Yes'm, he did."

Scarlett sat back, puzzled. There was a strange bitterness to Will's voice and she didn't for the life of her know why. She shook her head. She'd never bothered herself with what went on inside people's heads before, and she certainly wasn't going to start now!

"Do you care to explain yourself?"

"Well, Scarlett, he went. But he sure as heck didn't want to go. I know you had your reasons, but he was well-educated 'nough, 'specially in comparison to me. He was gettin' along fine at Tara. Good help in the fields, too."

"God's nightgown, Will Benteen! You're the last person I'd expect to sit in judgement on me!"

Will shifted the straw in his mouth and continued in his even, Cracker drawl. "Long as you got your dander up, I might as well finish what I got to say." He trained his eyes on the dusty, red road ahead, deftly steering Sherman away from the ruts and rough parts of the road. "They showed me the new papers 'bout Tara over at the County Court House. Seems like you done got hold of Carreen's share. I don't know what you're thinkin' is, Scarlett, an' I ain't askin'. But I'm tellin' you this. If anybody comes up the road flappin' somethin' legal at me 'bout takin' Tara, I plan to meet 'em at the end of the drive with a shotgun in my hand."

Scarlett shifted nervously. Will's soft drawl was more firm and frightening than even her pa's loud bawls. "Will, I...I swear on a stack of Bibles I'm planning nothing of the sort."

The sleeping child in her arms stirred. "Cat hungry."

"We'll be at Tara soon, Kitty Cat. I promise I'll get you something to eat there."

The girl wriggled out of her mother's arms and sat down beside Will. "Cat's never seen you before."

Scarlett smiled at Will. "Please excuse her. She talks in third person whenever she's nervous or angry."

"'S all right, Scarlett." Will smiled down at Cat. "I'm Will. You like animals?"

"Cat loves animals." The girl looked up at him warily.

"Well, little lady, I think you're gonna like Tara. We got lots of animals. Like this horse here." He gestured to the bay horse at the end of the lines.

"He's a nice horse," Cat admired the animal pulling the wagon. She reached out to pet him, only able to just brush his brown coat with her hand before Scarlett hastily pulled her back on the seat. "What's his name?"

"Sherman."

Cat wrinkled her nose. "I don't like it."

Will laughed. "Neither do I."

* * *

By the time the wagon reached Tara, Cat was chatting up a storm to Will. Then, seeing all the other children on the front porch, she hurriedly got down and ran toward them with Pansy close behind.

"I'm sorry, Will." Scarlett smiled as he helped her down. "My Cat loves to talk."

"An' I love to listen." Will grabbed her bag and handed it to her, holding the horse as Pork unloaded the wagon. "We're gonna get along fine."

"I knew you'd love her!" Scarlett happily made her way over to greet the rest of the family.

"Well, Scarlett, we haven't seen you in a while." Suellen held Young Master Robert, eying Scarlett cooly.

"Oh, I'm so happy to be home, even you can't ruin my mood!" Scarlett looked over her sister's shoulder at the little boy. "Is this your son? Gracious, he looks just like Will!"

"Cat says hello," Katie Colum waved at the other children, unsure of the strangers.

"Scarlett, is she yours?" Suellen peered at the girl closely.

"Why, yes!" Scarlett put her hands on her hips indignantly. "I brought her all the way over here from Ireland just for you to meet her!"

Suellen gestured with her hand, handing Young Master Robert to Dilcey and moving to the other side of the porch. Scarlett followed.

"You don't fool me for a minute!" She hissed vehemently. "That child is obviously Rhett Butler's. Scarlett, what happened?"

"It was in Charleston. We were shipwrecked, and..."

"Scarlett!"

"It was perfectly all right, we were still married then!" Scarlett stamped her foot in remonstration.

"I was in Charleston only a year ago. Rhett was married to Anne Hampton. Does he know?"

"Well...no."

"Scarlett! Are you out of your mind?"

"Well, I was going to tell him. Then he had to go and divorce me. Serves him right if he never knows."

"He has a right to know! He's the father!"

"I don't care! If he knows, he may come and take her away from me!" Scarlett turned to watch Cat interacting with the other children. "Cat is everything to me right now. I don't know what I'll do if I lose her."

"None of that matters! Don't you understand? The circumstances makes that child a bastard and you a whore!"

"Hush, hush!" Scarlett raised her hand in warning. "Say it again and I'll hit you!"

Her snapping green eyes shot daggers. Her jaw tightened, and all the prettiness left her face. When she was mad, Scarlett looked just like Gerald O'Hara on the rampage.

"Do it and I'll tell Will!" Suellen crossed her arms self-satisfactorily.

Scarlett seethed. She hated her sister's touch-me-not attitude. She felt like ripping her sister's hair out, and would take pleasure in hearing her yowls of pain.

"Will knows already. He always knows. He's just too much of a gentleman to say so, unlike you!"

Suellen's mouth dropped open. "How dare you say such a thing?"

"After coming all this way and I was going to do you such a good turn—"

"Wish you'd stay away, we don't need your help! You're never anything but trouble–"

"And I suppose you're completely innocent of that, Miss Priss! Everyone knows you louse up everything you set your greedy little hands on–"

"Greedy? At least I didn't steal my sister's fiancé and marry a scoundrel in the name of money! Everyone knows you've never thought of anything else besides Ashley Wilkes–"

"Isn't so! I've lived with my O'Hara relatives for years and money hasn't even–"

"You know darn well it has! Why else have you been chasing all over the country for Carreen's share of Tara?"

"That doesn't have anything to do with–"

"Does so!"

Will's lanky frame gently moved between them. "Girls, please. You ain't been together a minute and there you two have to go warrin' with each other." He shook his head, knowing it was useless asking them to stop their petty bickering. It had been habitual for the sisters to fight with one another ever since they were children. Age had not changed the disunion between them.

"Make sure Cat is welcomed and has something to eat. I want to visit the family graveyard." Scarlett clutched a small pouch in her hand.

Will nodded, holding Suellen as Scarlett moved off. He leaned down and kissed his wife's cheek. "Don't go lookin' for problems."

"Oh, Will!" Suellen looked up at him appealingly. "It's Scarlett!"

He gently laid her head on his bony shoulder and patted her affectionately. "There now, darlin'. If I were you, which I ain't, I wouldn't be so quick to judge. She ain't the same Scarlett she was last time she was here."

"How can you say that when the first thing she does is get into an argument with me?"

"Reckon that was your fault."

Suellen closed her eyes, but didn't pull away from him. She was getting herself accustomed to his gentle honesty as a normal way of conversation.

"Do you say that because of her daughter, her clothes, or her two-thirds of Tara? Or is it her time in Ireland?"

"No," Will's pale blue eyes rested on the children playing in front of the porch. His hand softly stroked Suellen's hair, which hung in a haphazard bun at the nape of her neck. "Scarlett's changed, Sue. In more ways than you know."

* * *

Scarlett sat in her mother's office, occasionally glancing out at the black night sky. It was much different now than it was the last time she was here. Last time, she had been so unsure of her life. Now, she was strong with resolve. Will would be along any minute to talk with her. Every time she disappeared into her mother's office, he knew she wanted to talk.

Will's stumping gait was heard in the hall, accompanied by Cat's chattering.

"...an' all the birds, they went flying up in the air! You got pretty birds, Will."

"Thank you kindly, Cat."

He entered the room with Cat on his tail. "Ev'nin', Scarlett."

"Your dog is a pretty color," Cat stroked Boo's blue roan coat gently as he limped in behind them. "He's a nice dog."

"I should say so. He took a bullet for me."

"What's his name?"

"Boo." Will smiled as the dog licked Cat, making her explode into giggles.

"I like that name!" Cat laughed. "I was born on Halloween!" She rolled over and stared at his brogan. "Will, why do you only have one foot?"

"Now, Kitty Cat, that is most improper. You shall address your uncle as 'Uncle Will' or 'Mister Will.'" Scarlett sniffed.

"I don't mind, Scarlett." Will squatted awkwardly and rapped on his peg. "This here's a prize I won for fightin' the Yankees back in '63."

"You lost your leg?" Cat looked up at him incredulously.

"Completely shattered by a Federal cannon." Will smiled. "They had to amputate it."

"You're brave, Will!"

"You ain't so bad yourself." Will playfully chucked her under the chin and stood. "Now, what is it you wanna see me 'bout, Scarlett?"

"You do have a way with children." Scarlett looked down at her hands. "You might want to sit down, Will. I...I want to discuss Tara."

He pulled up a chair beside the couch and straddled it. "Figgered on as much."

"You know I did get Carreen's share from the convent, so I guess that makes me the owner of Tara."

"Cat wants to play outside." The little girl tugged at her mother's skirt.

"Not now, darling." Scarlett patted her absent-mindedly. "When mother is done talking with Uncle Will, she'll take you out to the barn. I promise."

Will bit his straw in half. "Jus' what're you plannin', Scarlett?"

Scarlett looked up and met his calm stare. She smiled grimly, nodding. "I've been thinking things over very carefully, Will. There's only one way for me to settle this issue of Tara."

Will locked his hands together, gripping them so tightly they turned white. "Yes, Scarlett?"

"Mommy, now!" Cat rolled into her lap, where Scarlett made her sit up pertly.

"Just a minute." Scarlett looked up at Will and was able to meet his fiercely intense gaze bravely. "I assume Suellen gave you her share of Tara as her dowry when you were married. Is that right?"

Will slowly nodded. "'S in my name."

"Robert Lee is a nice boy," Scarlett held Cat still, focusing on Will. "Perhaps one day he'll know the trades of his father."

"Get to your point."

Boo whined at his master's feet.

Scarlett met his gaze defiantly, pulling a sheaf of papers from her sack and straightening them before setting them down on the table. She had assumed the calm business-like demeanor that so many women thought only a man should have. "I have all the papers drawn up here. Everything's in order. I just need your signature."

Will looked at the papers. "I can't read too well, Scarlett. What exactly am I signin'?"

"Well, these papers turn the shares in my name over to you. This will make you, Will, the sole owner of Tara." Scarlett drew a deep breath. "You've no idea how hard it is for me to part with Tara, but I know I'm doing the right thing. Tara should belong to you, Will. You love it just as much as I do. Besides, it wouldn't be fair if I held onto it. I live in Ireland now with so many other things to keep me preoccupied and you...you live here every day. To turn you out just because I want Tara is the most selfish thing I could ever do. And I'm through with thinking only for myself! I may have been too naive to know it before, but I know it now. I trust you, Will Benteen, more than I've ever trusted anyone else on this earth. I know I'm leaving her in good hands."

Will sat back, too stunned to say anything.

"Cat wants to go now!" Scarlett's daughter started kicking angrily.

"Well?" Scarlett dabbed her eyes, smiling thinly.

She felt surprised as she saw tears well up in Will's clear blue eyes. "Scarlett, you have no idea how happy you just made me."

* * *

Will slowly stepped out of the washroom, trying hard not to make any noise. Boo shot out from between his legs and waddled over to his towel by the bed, where he flopped down tiredly.

He smiled at his wife, who lay sleeping peacefully on her side of the bed. He slowly swung over and climbed in beside her, gently placing an arm over her.

Suellen stirred, turning away from him. "You're cold."

"Suit yourself."

Suellen lay quietly for a minute or two. Then she opened her eyes. "Will..."

"Mm?"

"What did Scarlett want?"

"You'll never believe it, Sue. She's givin' Tara to us."

She sighed. "Reckon that made you happy."

"Yes'm, it did. One of the best things that ever happened to me."

Suellen rolled over to face him. "One of. What are the others?"

"Endin' up here after the war...havin' Robert an' the girls...an' marryin' you."

"Oh, Will." She lay back and stared at the ceiling. "Why aren't you and Boo out watching for bandits?"

"They already tried once an' it'll be a while 'fore they try again." Will's hand found hers and held it. "It ain't time to worry yet."

Suellen propped herself up, facing him. "Will Benteen, everything about you is so amazing, it drives me crazy!"

"Sue, everythin' 'bout you from the inside out is beautiful."

Suellen looked sharply over at her passive husband, whose eyes were trained on the ceiling. She leaned down and kissed him. She held his face, running her small hands through his pale hair.

She laid her head under his, her white finger tracing his sallow cheek. He hugged her tightly, taking her gently in his arms.

He softly kissed her hair, opening his mouth to speak. She shushed him by placing a finger over his mouth. "Don't ruin it, Will."

* * *

Scarlett sat at the breakfast table, buttering a biscuit. Her green eyes looked demurely up at Suellen, whose back was turned as she worked over the stove.

"I'll be going out today. I plan to trade a few things I brought back from Ireland with the neighbors for some greenbacks. I want to buy Cat something nice in Atlanta before we leave. And it gives me an excuse to visit all my old friends."

Suellen turned and set plates down in front of the children. "Will told me what you did last night. I guess I ought to thank you. For him. Tara means a lot to Will." She hastily turned back to the dishes.

Scarlett smiled. "I was glad to do it. Will's like a brother to me, and he works so hard. If there's anyone who deserves a little happiness, it's him."

Just then, Will entered the room, grinning lazily. He came up behind his wife and swatted her behind.

"Will! You nasty thing, you!" Suellen giggled with pleasure.

He held her arms from behind, kissing her neck lovingly. This made Suellen smile at first, but then she remembered where they were. "Leave off, Will. The children..."

"Yes'm."

Scarlett watched them, bemused, as she cut up Cat's slice of ham. Will and Suellen were the last two people on earth she thought she'd find necking in the kitchen. She still found it hard to believe that the two had found love in their unsentimental relationship. She could understand Suellen's waking up to Will. If she'd had half a mind, she'd have realized what a gem he was sooner. But _Will_, love _Suellen?_ To Scarlett, Suellen would always be impossible to _like, _let alone _love!_

"Sam's waitin' for me." Will gave his wife a quick kiss before turning toward the door, Boo at his heels. "See you, kids, Scarlett."

Scarlett nodded as he departed for the fields. "Finish your meal, Cat. We're going to go visiting together after breakfast."

"And I'll get started on the laundry." Suellen quickly replaced her dishes on a rack and, sighing, started upstairs. "Prissy? You up there? Watch the kids, will you?"

Scarlett shook her head. "She never did like to work, did she?"

* * *

Scarlett turned the horse out of Mimosa's drive and pointed it toward home. Beside her on the wagon seat, Cat played around with her little ball.

They had dropped in on the Tarletons that morning and they were just leaving the Fontaines. Scarlett had had a wonderful time with them, showing them Cat proudly. And the business side had been successful, as well. She had the money stuffed in her shirt down her breast. With those bandits about, you couldn't be too careful.

"Sally's Little Joe has grown so much, I didn't recognize him!" Scarlett said aloud. "It's a pity she can't send him to University, like my Wade."

Suddenly, she drew rein, an eerie feeling coming over her.

"Mommy, Cat wants to go home."

"Here, Kitty Cat, you'll be okay." Scarlett hugged the child, even though she knew Cat hated being hugged. She was sure she'd heard hoofbeats following them from behind. But now, all was silent. Too silent. The wind was down, the trees hardly rustled, and even the jays and mockingbirds dared not sing. Hastily, Scarlett flicked the reins. "Come on, Sherman! Take us home!"

She soon had to stop again. She was sure she'd heard the hoofbeats! She cursed herself as she looked where she'd stopped. The ruined MacIntosh property gave her the creeps!

"Keep going, mother."

"I will," Scarlett gulped and flicked the reins again.

It was then that two dark-clad figures stepped out in front of the wagon, one astride a silver grey gelding. They both had scraggly beards and hats that shaded their eyes.

Scarlett screamed. Cat buried her head in her mother's skirts.

"Hold on! Hold on!" The man on the ground held their horse, pointing his pistol up at Scarlett. The other made his way up to the wagon seat. "We doan wanna hirt you, lady. Jus' give us what you got, an' we'll leave you alone."

"Here," Scarlett dug the wad of greenbacks out of her shirt and threw it to him. "Take it. We have nothing else."

The bandit picked up the money, sifting through it greedily. He turned to his comrade. "You think she's telling the truth?"

The man holding the horse shook his head. "Search 'em."

"Don't you even dare touch my daughter!" Scarlett shielded Cat from the man.

"That's where she's got her loot stored! Get it!"

Scarlett screamed and shouted, doing everything she could to protect her little girl. "Run, Kitty Cat! Run back to Mimosa and get Alex Fontaine! Hurry!"

Katie Colum O'Hara slipped out the other side of the wagon seat and darted into the woods, back the way the wagon came. She cut a jagged path, ducking behind trees as she heard shots fired after her.

"Get her!"

Scarlett caught the man's hands, trying to keep the man in the wagon with her as Cat ran toward the Fontaine plantation in a frightened terror.

* * *

Sally Fontaine opened the door to the light taps. "Why, Katie Colum! Where's your mother? What's..." She stopped as she saw the little girl was breathing hard.

"Cat needs to see Alex. Cat needs help. Cat's mom is in trouble. Two men are holding her in the road."

"Oh, my!" Sally withdrew into the house, and her husband quickly appeared in her stead. "Stay here with Sally, Cat. I'll go to your mother." He ushered the girl inside and hurried to his horse. "Of all the–Jesus Christ! It ain't to be borne!"

* * *

Scarlett blew her nose, hugging Cat. They were back in the safe confines of Tara. After Alex had come riding up, shouting fit to wake the dead and firing his gun multiple times, the bandits had disappeared as quickly as they'd came.

Alex had checked to make sure Scarlett was all right, then they had gone back for Cat before returning home.

Suellen leaned against the kitchen door, listening to the lowered voices of Will Benteen and Alex Fontaine. She had a nasty feeling of foreboding about the whole matter. She hadn't liked the way Will's face had looked ever since Alex had explained Scarlett's situation.

"...Should we let Jim Tarleton in on it?"

"Now Alex, I don't know 'bout you, but I ain't a-goin' to be accused of bein' in some sort of Klan."

"He's got a right to know, Will! They've been robbin' Fairhill, too!"

"He's too old to do any good. We'll let him know, after we've done it. It's got to be done, Alex. Them bandits can't be terrorizin' our women and children. Tonight, it was Scarlett. Next time, it'll be my Sue, your Sally, or even one of the Tarleton chits. Hell, it may be Joe or Martha or Robert. I ain't puttin' up with it no more. We get 'em tonight."

Suellen wrung her hands, biting back tears. Oh, how could Scarlett do this to her?

Will stumped out into the drawing room, followed by Alex. He shrugged on his patched, grey coat and grabbed his shotgun, opening the door.

"Wait!" Suellen ran up to him and kissed him long and hard on the mouth before pulling away. "Be careful."

Will nodded grimly and gestured to Alex as he stumped out the door.

"Hope you're all right, Miss Scarlett." Alex tipped his hat to her. "I'd hate for anything to have happened to you."

Scarlett managed a thin smile through her distressed expression. "Fiddle-dee-dee, Alex Fontaine! I've never been gladder to hear the Rebel yell in my entire life!"

Alex laughed shortly. "Glad to be of help. See you, Cat." He called as he stepped out after Will.

Suellen watched as her husband mounted Sherman and waited for Alex to straddle his mule. Big Sam had Dolly hitched up to the wagon and drove it after them as the two men rode into the darkness. They were of the most gallant Southern men and there would never again be other men like them. These same men who had laid down their arms in defeat were now ready and willing to take them up again in order to protect their women. Never again would there be men like these so willing to die over a matter of sacred principle.

Suellen leaned against the window, holding her head. She felt fit to explode any minute. They shouldn't be doing this! What if... She abruptly turned around, her eyes blazing malevolently on Scarlett.

"Run along, Kitty Cat." Scarlett sent her child out of the room and stood. She had never seen Suellen so angry, so dangerous-looking before, and it intimidated her.

Suellen took a few threatening steps toward her sister, fists clenched. "If anything happens to my Will, I'll..."

Dilcey stepped between them. "You ladies gots ter calm down. Now you's gonna set down right here, tek a sheet o' paper, an' copy dis verse frum de Bible." Dilcey opened the book and set it on the table. "Come on!"

Not wanting to disobey the imperial negress, they sat down, Suellen fixing her skirts placidly.

Scarlett picked up her quill skillfully and quickly began to write in her very business-like manner. Suellen scowled. Her sister had never been one to hide her business sense, and it was downright embarrassing! Because of it, everyone knew Scarlett had a man's head for figures, and wasn't afraid to use her ladylike charms to usher business away from her competitors.

Suellen looked down to find the book open to the Lord's Prayer. She softly began to cry, sniffing at intervals.

This only happened so long before Scarlett's eyes began to snap angrily. "Sniff one more time and I swear to God I'll slap you raw!" She ground her teeth. Her sister was so irritating!

"Don't you even dare talk to me!" Suellen glared menacingly at Scarlett. "It's bad enough you had to take Frank Kennedy away from me! Now, because of you, Will's gone to...to..." Suellen broke, burying her head in her hands. "Will! Oh, Will!"

"Hush now, honey." Dilcey hugged her reassuringly and sent her into the next room to wash up.

"Dilcey, it wasn't my fault!" Scarlett cried when the old servant returned.

Dilcey pointed at Scarlett's paper emotionlessly, sitting down. "Write."

Scarlett hastily began on the final few lines of the page, while Dilcey sat silently, thinking. After a few minutes, Dilcey slowly spoke what was on her mind. "It ain't yore fault, Miss Scarlett. You knows it, an' Ah knows it, an' Mist' Will knows it. But ev'ry time you cum an' visits, somepin happens. On'y de Lawd knows why, but somepin happens. Miss Suellen jus' upset 'cause you always seem ter bring it out."

"But I'm not the reason why Will–"

"Ah knows it, an' Ah ain' blamin' you fer it. Mist' Will made his own decision. But Miss Suellen, she thinks if you'd never cum, he wouldn' be doin' what he is now."

Scarlett turned white. "I hope for both their sakes that he's all right."

In the confines of her room, Suellen grabbed her beads and dropped to the floor in prayer. She hastily murmured a rosary for Will's safety.

In the distance, shouts and several gunshots resounded in the night. Suellen closed her eyes, her grip tightening on the beads.

"Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and at the hour of our death."

* * *

Suellen couldn't pull herself from the window. She peered desperately into the black night, only to see nothing.

Scarlett, after finishing her verse, had helped Dilcey put the children to bed and came back downstairs. She winced when she saw her sister. Suellen wouldn't even look at her.

The sounds of hoofbeats and snorts could soon be heard coming up the drive. Suellen grabbed her shawl and a lantern, running out onto the porch. She was quickly followed by Dilcey and Scarlett. All three women had their hearts in their throats.

Slowly, Big Sam appeared, driving Dolly over toward the house. There was a bleak eeriness about his wide, simple face that haunted Suellen, making her go cold. Behind him, Alex followed, leading Will's riderless horse.

Suellen's eyes widened in horror as she screamed. She swayed back and forth dangerously, her hands at her mouth. "No! Not my darling Will!"

She ran to the wagon, Dilcey close behind, afraid for her mistress. Suellen stood on tiptoe to peer into the bed, and lifted the heavy tarp that lay inside. Seeing her husband's prone face, she collapsed into Dilcey's arms in a dead faint.


	10. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

Suellen was slowly brought around with smelling salts. Scarlett sat up with her sister, reviving her with the perfumes. But when Suellen's eyes fell perfectly cognizant on her, she wished she hadn't. The first words out of Suellen's mouth were hurt and accusatory. "You killed him."

"Hush, Sue. Don't be silly. Your precious Will is perfectly alive. He's in the next room if you don't believe me."

At that, Suellen had hastily risen and moved swiftly into the living room.

A cot had been pulled out into the center of the room, and Will was laid out on it. Dilcey, Sam, Prissy and Pork all stood around it, awaiting instructions from someone who knew what to do.

She started crying as Will slowly turned his head, his eyes falling apologetically on her. "I was shot, Sue. Don't let it bother you none. It warn't bad. I'll...be all right."

"Shh," Suellen hurriedly made her way over to the cot and sat down beside his head. "Don't talk. I'm here now."

Will's hair was matted with blood from the awful-looking gash in his temple. But that was only a graze. His hand felt so cold when Suellen touched it, and his pulse was frighteningly slow. To her relief, it didn't look as if he was in danger of losing another limb. But she was afraid for his life. His shirt, stained bright red with blood, had been completely unbuttoned. Just taking a glimpse of his chest told her all she needed to know. But just as she felt like it was too much, that she couldn't deal with it, she met the gaze of his pale blue eyes. They were just as calm and placid as they had always been in his life. Yes, if he could be brave, so could she.

She looked up at the servants. "Dilcey, start boiling some hot water on the stove. Prissy, gather all the towels and bandages you can find, quickly. Pork, get the cooking brandy and the iodine. Sam, ride to Jonesboro and wire Dr. Meade in Atlanta. Tell him it's urgent and to come right away."

"Yes'm." The four servants moved at her request.

Suellen gently kissed her husband. "You_ will _be okay, darling. If I have anything to say about it."

* * *

"I came as soon as I could." Dr. Meade opened his bag, drawing the curtains against the rising sun. "And who do we have here?"

"My husband, Will." Suellen looked up from her post. She'd stayed at his side all evening. She wasn't going to leave him now.

"Ah, yes. You're Scarlett's sister, aren't you?" The old doctor laughed, but cringed inwardly. Personally, he had never liked Scarlett O'Hara. She'd made a poor nurse, and had never tried to hide the fact that she thought him a pompous old goat. She was a public disgrace, and had had relations with Rhett Butler, who'd publicly disgraced _him._

He took out his probe for the examination. Suellen stood, watching uneasily as he stroked his goatee, making a prognosis.

"Well, doctor?"

"Good thing I got here when I did. This Johnny Reb was just about ready to hit the hay." He almost laughed at his clever remark before he remembered where he was. "Well, I'll have to go in and remove the bullet. Seems to me like it's punctured his lung. It'll have to come out if he's to have a fighting chance."

"By all means do, doctor! You have to save him!"

Will was only vaguely aware of what was happening at this point. He could hear voices talking over him, but he couldn't decipher what was being said. He felt a faint fluttering on his cheek and knew Suellen was stroking his face as Dr. Meade administered the chloroform.

* * *

_Will looked up at Henry Kinlan from his hastily dug rifle pit. "Think this'll be enough to hold off the Yankees?"_

_Kinlan inspected it for a minute and nodded. "Reckon it's deep enough."_

_Will removed his battered forage cap and scratched his head. He was sure he had lice and he was just getting over a bad case of dysentery._ _He'd grown a long, scraggly beard and his grey uniform hung in rags over his gaunt form. If his mother were alive, she surely wouldn't recognize him. Kinlan looked no better than he did. Lifelong friends, they officially considered themselves veterans of "this cruel war" after surviving the Battle of Fredericksburg._

_Over in the next pit, Louie Phillips sat talking with a young military cadet, who had just recently joined the Eighth Florida Volunteer Infantry Corps. He'd never seen a Yankee before and 'Old Bone' Phillips was talking him through the experience._

"_...What you do is, you hide in this ditch here an' fire at them, an' hope one o' their shells don't hit you. Then, if the general gives the order, you jump out o' the hole, fix this pointy thing—" He gestured to his bayonet, "in front of you like so. Then you run into as many Yanks as possible 'fore they get you."_

_Lieutenant Mason passed by the fortifications, barking orders. "The colonel says for you to hold in your ground when the enemy attacks! Don't move until I give you the orders! The Federals are not that far away from us! They're planning an attack! Be ready!"_

_A scout ran up to the Lieutenant and saluted him. "Sir, the Federals have sixteen cannon and an estimated six hundred men. They're off to the northwest of us, about a mile, heading this way. They sent their calvary off farther north. I'd estimate about ten minutes before they reach us and attack."_

"_Good. Excellent work, Private. Fix your rifle and report to your pit for action!"_

"_Yes, sir!" The scout moved off. Lieutenant Mason stood, shaking his head. "They've twice as many artillery and can afford to lose two men for every one of ours!"_

_Will fixed his rifle and dug his toes in the soft Virginia soil. He'd been without shoes for more than a year now. Because he was so thin, tall and lanky, no shoes off of dead Yankees fitted his large feet. This didn't bother him. Nothing ever did. He turned to Peter Eliot, a man from South Florida he'd befriended when they'd joined up with Lee's Northern Virginia Army. Kinlan was stationed in a pit a few rows behind them. "Ready for 'em?"_

_Eliot nodded, his wild eyes snapping impatiently. "As I'll ever be!"_

_A silence fell over the troops as the sounding of the drum was heard. As the beat grew more intense, the flagbearer struck the colors of the Confederacy. "I'll live an' die in Dixie!" He shouted as the infantrymen took up the Rebel yell._

_The cry was enough to turn Yankee blood cold. The front rows stopped and raised their rifles to their shoulders._

_As the tension heightened, the first cracks of battle resounded over the flat field. Soon, the shells began to fly between the sides. The skirmish was under way._

_The boys who'd never seen active service before took up and ran as fast as they could, screaming. _

"_Hold your ground, men!" Lieutenant Mason shouted, stopping as many of the fleeing men as he could. He grabbed one by the shirt collar and shook him so hard his teeth chattered. "By Jesus, you little son-of-a-bitch! You're in the army now! Hold your ground!"_

_The cannons began to fire. As they landed, men were blown to bits. Wherever the fresh troops looked, they saw their friends dead or severely wounded. Out on the field, Federals crumpled to the ground, spitting blood in the agony of death. This job was not one for the light of heart._

_Eliot, his face caked with the grey powder from the shells, fired round after round, not even pausing to think what he was doing. He shot, reloaded, and shot again. He didn't even pause as a Federal cannon exploded in the next pit over. A glimpse their way a few minutes later made him wince. There was absolutely nothing left of Louie Phillips and the young cadet. Well, they wouldn't have to worry about using their bayonets where they were going._

_After a few hours of fighting, all the deserters were either gone or had abandoned the thought of fleeing. Lieutenant Mason walked back and forth behind their artillery, shouting orders at the medical teams who were now moving out across the fields, covering the dead and retrieving the wounded from the front lines._

_A brigadier general rode up to him just then and handed Mason a dispatch. "The general has given orders for your men to abandon fortifications and storm the enemy head on."_

_Mason glanced at the dispatch before nodding. He turned to the field. "Charge!"_

_The flagbearer brandished his sword, spreading the word along the entrenchments. "Charge! The word's been given to charge!"_

_Kinlan fixed his bayonet and jumped out of the rifle pit, running toward the sea of blue. He jumped down into a pit in order to avoid the flying shells, and found himself looking down at Will Benteen._

"_Will! What're you doing? The general's given orders to charge!"_

_Will's pale blue eyes looked up at Kinlan calmly from his grey, powder-caked face. "Got hit, Henry. Knocked me flatter'n a johnnycake."_

_It was then that Kinlan noticed Will's left leg. A large portion of his foot, including several toes, had been blown off completely. The ones that remained looked pitiful, bent at unnatural angles. The whole leg from the knee down was a mass of blood and bone. Cracked portions lay completely unattached as shards of skin hung loosely over his shattered ankle. They were about the only thing keeping his foot attached to his shin. Just looking at it made Kinlan want to vomit. "Oh, Will..."_

_Will's calm gaze slowly wandered from his face, becoming far away. "Don't let it...bother you none..."_

"_Will, come back to me!" Kinlan shook his friend urgently. _

_Will's gaze focused back on Kinlan, and he smiled wanly. "Give 'em Hell, Henry."_

_Kinlan nodded grimly. "You bet I will."_

_He rose up out of the pit, fixing his bayonet in front of him. "Let's get them Yankee bastards! Yee-aay-ee!"_

_Will had practically passed out of blood loss by the time the medical team and the stretcher reached him. A wave of trauma and shock ripped through his body as they moved him onto the gurney. But other than a slight movement of his hand, he didn't show he felt it._

_They'd put a tourniquet on him to stop the bleeding, and it greatly improved his awareness. But the medical tent was filthy, and the flies were unbearable as the stench of gangrene filled his nostrils. Waiting to be attended on, he faded in and out of consciousness._

"_...It'll have to come off," The doctor spoke over his head heaven knows how many hours later. "We're already out of anesthetics. He'll have to be awake for the procedure. Not even a little morphia, poor fellow. He's one of the worst-looking I've seen."_

_Will combatted fiercely with the darkness threatening to overtake him, fighting his way to consciousness. He slowly opened his eyes. _

"_Go ahead, doc. Them Yanks ain't licked me yet an' this warn't neither. Jus' do what you got to do."_

_As the surgeon brandished his bone saw, Will's mind darkened completely._

* * *

Slowly, the dark cloud receded and Will opened his eyes. It took a moment for him to register the fact that he was staring up at Tara's living room ceiling. He tried sitting up, only to fall back as a wave of sharp pain erupted from his chest.

"Relax, Will. Dr. Meade patched you up. You'll be all right."

Will looked down to find Suellen's hand intertwined in his. "You stayed with me this whole time?"

She nodded, tears stinging her eyes. "I couldn't bear to leave you. What if...?"

He slowly turned his head, mindful of the bandage wound around his temple. He smiled appreciatively. "That was mighty brave of you."

"Where'd you get an absurd notion like that?" Suellen laughed, gripping his hand tighter. "I love you, that's all."

Will looked down at the bed bashfully. "Hope I ain't troubled you too much."

"Good God, Will! Of course you have! I've been worried sick about you!"

Will noticed the rosary beads she was clutching in her other hand and smiled. "I'm all right now, ain't I?"

Suellen carefully leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Yes, and thank God you are!"

* * *

Scarlett sat in Tara's drawing room a few days later, playing with Cat and her toys. She'd been just as happy as Suellen to know that Will was going to be all right. But her sister still wouldn't acknowledge her presence, let alone talk to her. The incident may have driven Suellen and Will closer together, but it had only served to further sever the ties between Scarlett and Suellen. They would forever be estranged, much to Will's chagrin, and there was just no getting around it.

A couple of loud knocks echoed on the front door. When nobody made a motion to open it, Scarlett herself got up to answer the caller. "That's funny. I didn't hear anyone drive up."

As she opened the door, a look of astonishment crossed over her face. "Yes?"

"Good morning," A young woman stood on Tara's steps, clad in a dress of faded gingham. She was small in stature, but her bones were long and thin. There was a seeming vitality about her and her clear blue eyes glowed with warmth. If her face wasn't so sunken and her skin wasn't so sallow, she'd almost be pretty. Her pale-pinkish hair fell around her shoulders freely. A tattered sun hat rested on her head. "Perhaps I have the wrong address."

"No, I...I think you have the right one." Scarlett stuttered, gesturing for the caller to step inside. This girl looked just like Will!

Slowly, Will entered the room, hanging onto Suellen for support. Dr. Meade said he would one day be fully recovered. But he was only now starting to move around again. His swinging gait was painful to his chest and he labored to get around. Suellen helped him whenever possible.

The stranger's face brightened when she saw him. "Billy!" She ran over and engulfed him in a tight hug. "I thought I'd never see you again!"

"'Bout knocked the wind out of me, Mary." Will hugged her back, stroking her hair gently.

_Billy? Mary? _Scarlett and Suellen looked at each other for the first time in days, mouthing the names in confusion.

"Oh, Billy!" The stranger kissed his cheek before taking a step back to look at him. "You've gained weight since I last saw you!"

"_Gained weight?"_ Suellen exclaimed. "You mean he used to be even _skinnier _than he is _now?"_

"Sorry, Sue. This is my sister, Mary Benteen Rogers. Mary, this is my wife Suellen and her sister, Scarlett." Will gestured to each of them as he spoke.

"Yes, Billy wrote me about you. Tony gave it to me when he came home. To know my brother his alive and well was very pleasing to hear. And he's come up in the world considerably since I saw him last."

"Last time I saw Mary, she only came up to my knees." Will smiled, chewing his straw placidly.

"Tony Fontaine settled in our town, did you know? When I discovered he knew my brother, I sent a letter to him which Tony took back when he went to visit. When he returned, he brought one back from Billy. The first time I've heard anything from him in years! I never knew he learned such pretty handwriting."

Will scratched his nose. "Actually, Wade wrote that letter. I dictated it to him. Heck, Mary, you know I never was one much for writin'. I can hardly spell my name as it is."

"It doesn't matter, Billy. I always wanted to meet my sisters." Mary hugged Suellen, then Scarlett. "Where are the kids? I've been dying to see them!"

Scarlett stood rooted in one place, unable to move. Mary looked like Will, but she didn't seem a Cracker at all! She had a strange vivaciousness to her and a skinny frame. She didn't at all looked like she dipped snuff, as most Cracker women did. She certainly wasn't uncommon, but then again, it was obvious she wasn't poor white!

Cat came up to the group just then, tugging at Mary's skirt. "Cat's never seen you before. Cat thinks you look like Will. Cat likes Will. Who are you?"

Scarlett hastily stooped down beside Cat. "Excuse my daughter. Now, Kitty Cat, you mustn't be impolite to Will's sister."

"Hi, Will's sister." Cat waved shyly.

Mary smiled down at the girl. "Oh, Scarlett, she's darling! My name is Mary," She addressed the girl. "And yours?"

"Cat. Cat likes animals. Cat will show you Boo." Scarlett's daughter took Mary's hand and led her to where the hound dog was lying in the corner.

"Why is she still talkin' like that?" Will grinned lazily at Scarlett.

"Oh, she just doesn't like being called names other than her own. I hope your sister doesn't take it too seriously."

"Mary never takes much seriously. I wouldn't worry 'bout her if I were you. Which I ain't, mind."

Suellen laughed. "Will, you're impossible! But I wonder...why is she here?"

Will looked over at his sister, who was scratching Boo appreciatively. He slowly shifted his straw to the other side of his mouth. "Reckon she'll let us know, soon enough."

* * *

Suellen brought Mary back inside the house after showing her around Tara. Will was working in the fields with Big Sam and Pork. As a result, he left Mary in his wife's charge.

Scarlett had made arrangements to return to Ireland. But her ship left Savannah in four months. Not many ships sailed from Savannah to Ireland. But she wasn't going to risk taking Cat to Charleston or Wilmington. Even though Rhett was in England, too many people in South Carolina knew Rhett and would see Cat's resemblance to him immediately. And she _couldn't _let Rhett know of Cat's existence, at all costs.

Knowing that her visit would be extended for a few months, Scarlett once again turned her hand to helping Will in the fields.

Mary had exclaimed over the children when she saw them. She had made Suellen swell with pride when she commented on Susie's independence. She thought Martha most beautiful and Jane extremely intelligent. Suellen wasn't so pleased by this, but accepted it all the same. Mary thought Ella, Scarlett's other daughter, had to be one of the ugliest girls she'd ever seen. But she kept this thought to herself, making sure she made Ella know she had nothing to fear from her. After all, Mary knew what it was like to be an outcast.

Mary had simply fallen in love with Robert, Will's tiny infant son. She often held him, rocking him to sleep and admiring him openly.

"He's such a pretty little boy! So much like my darling brother Billy, and yet so different at the same time."

She did, of course, feel fondly for Cat, but wasn't sure the talkative toddler felt the same. The girl always referred to herself in third person when around Mary, and began to hardly touch her food at mealtimes.

"Kitty Cat, what's wrong with you?" Scarlett had asked as she felt the child's forehead, tucking her in for the evening.

"Will's sister calls Cat by funny names that Cat doesn't like. Cat tried to tell her, but she wouldn't listen."

Scarlett mentioned this to Mary in passing, and from then on Mary made it a point to address the little girl strictly as Cat.

Suellen sat down on the sofa in the living room beside Mary. "I hope you don't think I'm prying, but...why has it taken you so long to visit your brother again?"

Mary looked down. "I couldn't be too sure. The last time I saw him, he was only seventeen years old. I was fifteen. A few years before the war, mind. That was the last time I saw him, until yesterday..."

* * *

"_All right, boy! Git!" Samuel Benteen kicked his son into the house, cracking his whip threateningly. He had used it on William before and he wasn't afraid to use it again._

_Henry Kinlan, who'd been coming up the walk toward the house, abruptly turned and headed back the way he came. When Will's father was in a bad mood, it wasn't a good time to visit._

_Will swallowed his pride and his hurt, stumbling back to the private confines of his room. He sat down on the bed and sighed, his breath coming in shakes. His run-ins with his father were slowly stripping him of all his emotions. Every time his feelings made a strong reaction, it became easier and easier to hide what he felt. He'd become exceedingly quiet ever since he'd entered adolescence. He never said anything unless he needed to._

_He leaned over his corn-stuffed cot and pulled out a burlap sack of coins. He carefully laid them out on his bed and counted them. Finally, he had enough to buy his own farm. Then his father wouldn't ever hurt him again. He planned on buying the land tomorrow._

_Suddenly, he sat up, hearing muffled sobs that were coming from the room next to his. He slowly walked over to his sister's room and gingerly opened the door. Mary lay forlornly on her bed, her face buried in her pillow. Her small shoulders shook brokenly. He'd never seen his lovely little sister look so crushed._

_He sat on the edge of her bed, fingering the folds of her faded print dress. "You okay?"_

"_Oh, let me alone!" Mary cried, pounding the bed in helpless rage._

"'_Kay. Just wanted you to know I'm leavin' tomorrow." Will stood and turned to leave. _

"_Billy, don't go! You're all I have now!" Mary turned her red, tear-stained eyes away from the pillow, making a desperate appeal to her brother. He quickly sat back down. Everything in her face was what he'd buried away for good. Mary hadn't been able to do as he had. She needed him right now._

"_Mary, what happened?" He gently helped his sister into his arms, allowing her the relief and comfort of putting her head on his bony shoulder._

"_Father's horrid! I wish he'd die and burn in Hell!"_

"_Calm down, now. Easy," He rubbed her back soothingly. "I know it just as much as you do. What did he do?"_

"_Billy, it's terrible! I never want to see him again!"_

"_Here," Will pulled out his bandana and handed it to her. "Dry your eyes. Then start from the beginning."_

_Just when Mary was about to protest, his calm gaze met hers. "Please," his look said, "I know what I'm doin'."_

_She blew her nose obligingly and smiled gratefully at her brother. "It happened only a few hours ago. I was out on the trail with that nice man that works the drugstore, Mister Stephen."_

_Will nodded. Stephen Rogers worked at the town drugstore, sweeping the floor behind the counter. He was a poor man, well in his thirties and no hope of a better job in his future. He had courted Mary ever since she was thirteen years old, though she kept the relationship a secret, sharing it only with Will. She had feared how her father would react, should he know there was another man in her life besides him. Samuel was extremely controlling with his children, being violently abusive at times with his son and a little more than affectionate with his daughter. The reason why Will tolerated the beatings and harsh words so well was the fact that he had to be strong so he could be there for Mary, who was going through the torment of sexual abuse._

_He'd been extremely glad when she had begun courting Stephen. She needed to be loved and she needed to be respected, and Stephen was an honest, decent man. Ever since the beginning of her courtship, she'd become exceedingly joyful and vivacious, consciously making an effort to never be caught alone with her father. She'd been able to once again become a happy young girl...until today._

_Even in her highest elation, she'd worried over her brother, who hadn't a suitor to his name. To her, it seemed even more important that somebody should care for him, who was in danger of losing all emotion completely. But he was so homely, even the neighboring Cracker girls didn't pay him any mind. She hotly defended her brother whenever she heard a word said against him. She knew Will understood people better than anyone she knew. He was an efficient, honest worker and more gentle and caring than anyone around. As a result, she didn't have many friends because she had accused most all of the girls at one time or another of being shallow. But she didn't care. After Stephen, Billy was closer to her than anyone else. He was always there looking out for her. She knew that whoever did see past his exterior would be extremely lucky. Billy was going to make a fine husband one day._

_Encouraged by his nod, Mary swallowed and continued her plight. "Well, we were walking along the trail and...and you know...and father came at the worst possible moment. He saw us together and the whole knowledge of it hit him in an instant! He ran over there and snatched me away from him! He was screaming at me, Billy! I was scared to death! Stephen saw how much it was upsetting me and tried to come between us. But father only called him all sorts of nasty names and told him to git. He had to leave, Billy! Else I'm afraid he might have done something awful. So he did. And I was...left all alone with father."_

_Will's eyes snapped angrily. "Did he touch you?"_

"_No...he hit me! Billy, he's never hit me before!" Mary started crying again, leaning against him helplessly. Will held her gently, though he was outraged at the conduct of his father. Will had always felt keenly on the reverence and respect he felt should be given toward the opposite sex. For a man to beat another was one thing, but a young girl! And his own daughter, at that! Will felt fit to kill his father then and there for what he'd done. Slowly, he spoke._

"_That warn't all he did."_

"_No...He threatened me. He told me if I ever saw Stephen or any other man, he'd kill him and then me. And I was afraid he was going to right there! Billy, what am I going to do?"_

"_Mary, it's obvious to me what you're gonna have to do." Will set his jaw firmly and looked his sister in the eyes. "You're gonna go far away from here. Get Stephen an' run away to Texas. Father'll never follow you out there. An' you don't ever write, an' you don't ever dare visit. Understand?"_

_Mary shook her head. "But Billy, I don't think I can!"_

"_We don't always like what life throws at us. Believe me, I hate this just as much as you do. An' I know you're scared. But you're gonna have to be brave. For both of us. Stephen'll take care o' you, I'm sure of it. It's your only chance, Mary. Do it for him, an' do it for me." He held her hands tightly. "I ain't gonna put up with you bein' treated this way."_

"_But what will father do to you when he finds out I'm gone?"_

"_I can handle father. Don't worry 'bout me, Mary. Go, please."_

_Mary turned and hastily began to pack. "Won't be needing much, I guess." A question began to eat at her so much that she stopped in her packing and turned to her brother. "Billy, will I ever see you again?"_

"_No," Will kissed the top of her head. "Be careful."_

_Mary nodded, tears once again blurring her vision. She hugged him tightly before she opened the window, hopped out, and disappeared into the woods._

* * *

"Stephen and I made it away to Texas, where we married and had our children. I've been so happy. But I hadn't seen Billy since. I know father's long dead and I'm glad for it. I was so glad, I felt guilty for not keeping in touch with Billy better. I had hoped he was all right. And that's why I've waited so long to come here."

Suellen tearfully hugged Mary. "I'm so sorry!"

"Don't be. It was all in the past. It's best forgotten." Mary smiled. "But I'm guessing that's not why you're saying that."

"Mary...I've been so horrible to Will! I never even knew...how can I ever make it up to him?"

Mary placed her hand over Suellen's firmly, looking her squarely in the eye. "Sue, I've known Billy for practically my entire life and I know he can be hard to get along with. He's so set in his ways. But I can only give you this advice: Don't look at how he goes about doing or saying things or how he looks, because they always come out wrong. Look at what he does, his intentions, and why." She laughed. "Simply put, love him, Suellen. Love him with every last bone in your body. Heaven only knows how desperately my brother needs loving. Love him."

* * *

Suellen left Mary with the children as she went into the kitchen to prepare dinner. With Dilcey's help, it was soon ready.

"...An' Ah say, 'Yessah, she sho' gone.'"

The tired crew entered the house, laughing at Sam's joke. They were a sordid, dirty lot, and Suellen made them all go wash up before sitting down at the table.

There was bread, corn and peas, as well as some catfish Pork caught for supper. The meals were the same every night, with the meat altering between ham, fish, duck and chicken. It was a spare table that was set, but Suellen and Will couldn't help but be proud of it. They had worked hard for every morsel that was served.

As Will, Scarlett, Big Sam, and Pork reentered, taking their seats at the table, Suellen finally set the dishes out.

As Scarlett sat down, Cat came up to her, holding a book.

"Mommy, what is this picture of?" Cat pointed to a page in the book. It was an artist's sketch of John Brown's hanging.

Scarlett paled. "Never you mind. Put the book away and take your place at the table."

A quiet hung about the room as the family ate in silence. It was an unsettling, awkward quiet because it was _too _quiet. Even Will, who for the most part preferred quiet, was unsettled by it. He sat back and cleared his throat.

"Mary, you never told me 'bout your folks back in Texas. How's the mister an' the kids?"

His sister looked down, slowly setting down her fork. "Stephen couldn't be better. You know he's always loved living under huge skies. Little Stevie's grown so much since I last wrote you. He's almost as big as your Jane. Cathy's becoming more and more of a help to her father with each passing day. She's a fine catch of a little girl already. And then there's Florence...well, I did come up to see you about her."

Will shifted the straw in his mouth. He knew of Mary's oldest, though he'd never met her in person. "What 'bout Florence, Mary?"

"I wanted you to know...she's to marry Tony Fontaine next month."

"Tony Fontaine!" Scarlett exclaimed, her mouth wide open.

"Oh, how wonderful!" Suellen smiled happily.

"Goodness! Tony Fontaine!" Scarlett was still in shock. Surely they weren't talking about the lively, hot-tempered brother of Alex Fontaine that she knew! Why, he was old enough to be one of her beaux! "How old is your daughter?"

"Freshly turned seventeen, Scarlett. Why do you ask?"

"God's nightgown!" That would have put her a young baby during the war Tony fought in!

"Don't be silly, Scarlett! An alliance between the Fontaine family and ours is welcome as far as I'm concerned." Suellen looked over at her husband excitedly.

Will nodded, grinning slowly. "Always did like Tony."

"Well," Mary sighed, relieved at the positive reaction to her news. "Would you like to join me in Texas for the wedding?"

Suellen looked over at Will, and saw the corners of his eyes crinkle.


	11. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

The three-wagon caravan made the trip to Amarosa in record time. Mary and the bags led the way in front. Behind her was Will and family. Suellen kept hold of Young Master Robert, while Susie, Ella, Jane, Martha and Cat sat in the bed with Scarlett and Pansy. It had taken some convincing to get Scarlett to come out, but she finally relented. After all, her ship left Savannah in four months, and she would be utterly bored if she stayed at Tara with the servants. Besides, she did want to see Tony Fontaine again.

In the third wagon behind them were Alex and Sally Fontaine, along with Little Joe. They were the only relatives Tony had now and were glad to accompany the Benteens when they heard the news.

The tiny little town in east Texas was just as Tony had described it. The land was flat and dusty, while the sky looked enormous. Houses lay scattered intermittently across the plain and there wasn't a fence in sight.

The family had milled outside to meet them as they arrived home.

Stephen Rogers wasn't a heavy man, but he was florid and thick in the waist, giving a misleading first impression. He had a merry, laughing face and his black hair was greyed at the temples. He was obviously quite older than Mary, whom, Will had told Suellen and Scarlett, had married at fifteen. Suellen had seemed utterly shocked by it, but Scarlett didn't. After all, she'd been only a year older than Mary when she'd married Charlie Hamilton.

Cathy looked like Stephen physically and was quite strong for her thirteen years of age. Her handshake was almost as powerful as Will's, and he nodded at his niece approvingly.

Little Stevie, Mary proudly showed them all, was dark in complexion like his father. Other than that, he looked like his mother and Will. "I always wanted to see what you would look like with dark hair," Suellen blushingly told Will after admiring Little Stevie.

After the greetings and introductions were made, the party trouped inside, Scarlett and Cat leading the way.

Before she could reach the door, however, it swung open and a familiar voice boomed out, "Who's that leadin' the funeral procession? Don't you know enough to rush in and greet a happy bridegroom when you see him?"

"Tony!" Scarlett exclaimed, just as the swarthy little man picked her up and carried her inside. He set her down, laughing, and kissed her cheek. "Aren't you a sight for sore eyes! What're you doin' out here, Scarlett? Don't tell me you made the trip just to see me again?"

"I think it's wonderful, you're going to marry Will's niece! I wouldn't miss it for the world!" Scarlett laughed, taking him in. He was still the same man she remembered. His tiny head and black hair and black eyes that danced mischievously mirrored those of Alex. His hot temper hadn't receded and he was just as brash and impulsive as his brother. He looked a sight taller in his boots and his Stetson was set on his head at a jaunty angle.

"Heavens, Tony! You haven't changed a bit!"

"An apt observation, little lady. Let me introduce you to my wife-to-be."

As Tony led her over to a young girl standing in the parlor, Scarlett observed that Florence looked neither like her father or her mother. She had light brown hair that milled about her shoulders and sparkling amber eyes. She wore a simple frock of purple cotton, but she had a radiant smile. Scarlett could see why Tony had fallen for her.

"Florence, this is Scarlett." He pushed her forward encouragingly.

The girl took Scarlett's hands. "I'm so glad to meet you! Tony's told me so much about you!"

Scarlett laughed. "Did he, really?"

The two fell into amiable talk as Tony greeted the rest of the family. "Suellen! Never looked finer in your life!" He grabbed Scarlett's sister and kissed her as she entered. "And look at the kids! God, they're grown up! Hello, who's this little fella?" He tickled Young Master Robert's stomach. "Will's boy, no doubt. Looks just like him. And who's this one?" He looked down at Cat, who was staring at all the strangers nervously.

"Cat. Cat's mommy is talking to a strange lady over there. You look like Alex. Cat likes Alex. Are you Alex's brother?"

"Sure am." He looked over at Scarlett, whom Cat had pointed out as her mother. "Hell's afire, Scarlett! I didn't know you had another one!"

"Didn't you?" Scarlett hurriedly scooped the child up and took her over to meet Florence. "Don't be frightened, Kitty Cat. Let Momma introduce you to all the nice people."

"Uh-oh. Look at this pretty little chit." Tony twirled Sally Fontaine around and planted one on her. "Sally, you're absolutely beautiful! And how's that fool-headed husband of yours?"

"Why don't you turn around and ask him yourself?" Sally laughed as he whirled one hundred and eighty degrees and enveloped Alex in a bear hug, exalting a cry of joy. The brothers had been as close as two fingers on a hand growing up, and they missed each other terribly on a daily basis.

"The state of Texas better watch out!" Tony exclaimed. "With us back together again, we can raise all Hell from here to Amarillo!"

Alex laughed and made his way over to Florence. "Now how in the world did that crazy brother of mine wrangle a pretty young thing like you?"

"Howdy, Uncle Will!" Tony shook Will's hand as he entered behind the rest.

"My own comrade's tryin' to make me feel old." Will smiled slowly. "Heck, I'm happy for ya, Tony. Let's see this niece of mine."

"Uncle Will!" Florence made her way through the crowd and hugged him tightly. "I may have never seen you before, but I know it's you! You look just like mother!"

Will, a bit dumbfounded, hugged her back tightly. Florence was the spitting image of his long gone mother.

* * *

Scarlett smiled at the bustle around her as she pulled Cat's dress on over the little girl's head. She knew now that Will's relatives were no Crackers. They were pioneers, who moved with a vitality and indomitable cheerfulness that she both respected and admired. Like the bustle of wartime Atlanta, it made her feel comfortable and at home.

The ladies had staked one of the larger bedrooms out to ready for the wedding in. Sally, who was expecting a baby in five months, hung onto a bedpost, instructing Mary to pull her stays even tighter. Pansy was braiding flowers into Susie's and Ella's hair. Cathy was in the washroom, bathing. Suellen sat at the bureau putting her hair up in curlers, humming happily. Martha, holding her dress, looked admiringly up at Florence, who was trying on her wedding gown. Jane was crawling across the tabletop, spilling powder all over her green muslin frock.

"Cat's dress is too tight!"

Scarlett looked down at her daughter, who stared back crossly.

"I know you don't like it, Kitty Cat, but it's for Will's sister's daughter and Alex's brother. Only for a few hours, Cat. Can't you do that?"

Cat thought a minute. "I like Will. And I like Alex...Okay, I'll wear the dress."

Scarlett smiled. "That's a good girl. Now be on your best behavior and don't ruin your dress while Momma goes to get ready."

* * *

Downstairs, in a smaller bedroom, the men sat placidly, picking their teeth and chewing tobacco. Every once in a while, one of them would turn to spit into the cuspidor, making it ring with the noise.

"Women take too damn long to get ready." Alex tugged at his cravat and turned to Reverend Mitchell. "Beg your pardon, Rev."

The man smiled. He was older, and had a shiny bald head. But his eyes twinkled merrily, denying his age though his voice held a low, grave tone. "It's quite all right, sir. I often have the same frustration with my own wife."

Tony relaxed in his chair, smiling broadly. He was amazingly calm. He wore his cleanest white shirt and a funny-looking necktie that looked like a string with a circle tied in front and the ends left hanging sprawled not far down from it. His black vest had been washed carefully and lay unbuttoned down his front. The spurs of his boots clinked whenever he moved, and he stretched his black trousered legs out lazily. His black Stetson perched on his head and his holster drooped with Tony's most prized possessions: two ivory-handled six-shooters.

"You look like you're gonna rob a bank, not get married!" Alex had exclaimed when he'd first seen him.

Tony had just laughed. "I reckoned you'd say that. You ain't got used to the way we dress here in Texas. This," he'd gestured to his outfit, "is formal."

Will set his panama hat farther back on his head, chewing his wad of tobacco mildly. He'd donned his full brown Sunday suit, tie and all, just to please Suellen. He'd even combed his hair the way Suellen liked it, parted to the right. He'd put his best foot forward, but thankfully hadn't gone far enough to alienate himself from himself, as had happened in Savannah.

He smiled down at the Young Master and Little Stevie, who'd been bathed and dressed in their starched black broadcloth by their mothers before they had disappeared upstairs to get ready. Little Joe Fontaine, who was nearly thirteen years old, sat with Stephen Rogers, trying one of his large Havana cigars. He knew his mother would faint if she saw him now, but he didn't mind. After all he was with the men here, and he liked feeling one of the men instead of one of the boys.

Stephen sat puffing his cigar silently, passing around the flask of whiskey to each of the men, even giving Little Joe a swig. In the air hung heavily the smell of smoke, tobacco, and whiskey. The perfume of the countryman.

The reverend began to look uneasy as the Fontaine boys took several more drinks from the flask. Their tongues loosened as they began to hurl insults at each other and others in the room. Their quick tempers emerged as they began to eye each other like game cocks prepared to fight. And still they continued to drink.

Will knew that once the Fontaines were well intoxicated, they were capable of murderous wrath. And the women hadn't even surfaced yet. He cleared his throat. "Don't want to get drunk 'fore the weddin', do you, Tony?"

Tony eyed him malevolently. "I'll get as drunk as a fiddler's bitch if I please."

"If you ask me," Alex grinned devilishly. "You are a fiddler's bitch."

Tony stood and grabbed Alex's shirt collar, his fist ready to punch. Will quickly stepped between them, holding the two brothers apart. "Cool it, now. It won't do to bloody each other up right before the weddin'. Think how much a store the girls set by this."

Just then, they heard the ladies' voices as they came down the stairs.

"Hay–ell, boys!" Tony whooped, breaking from Will's grasp. "Let's get hitched!"

Will picked up the Young Master and Little Stevie, handing them to Mary as she came downstairs. He admired her gown before kissing the top of her head.

"I have a silly older brother!" She laughed.

"An' I got a spunky little sister," Will grinned, placing his hands in his pockets as he waited for Suellen.

Not too far off, Alex and Tony were fighting over who should be the first to kiss Scarlett, who was enjoying the male attention. She did look splendid in a fashionable emerald green gown, which was made of fine satin. Scarlett proclaimed to all who cared to know that she purchased it in London.

Will hardly recognized his little girls, who looked perfect ladies with their muslin frocks and yellow roses pleated in their hair. Susie looked pretty instead of cross, Jane looked playful instead of inquisitive, and Martha looked like a young lady instead of a little girl. Even Ella Lorena had a glow about her that didn't make her look half so rabbity. Suellen had remarked earlier that Cat, in her blue velvet dress, looked just like Rosemary Butler. This had been received by Scarlett giving her a sharp look and telling her to hush.

Alex stopped from punching Tony in the nose when he saw Sally alight from the top of the stairs. He whistled, making catcalls as she made her way toward him. "Honey, you ain't looked half so skinny since I laid you!"

"Alex, watch your mouth!" Sally went crimson with embarrassment.

He followed her out to the yard, slapping her behind at intervals.

Will's smile grew as he saw Suellen at the top of the stairs. She hastily descended to meet him. She looked resplendent in her bright red ball gown she had purchased in Charleston. Her skin looked perfectly white and full, though her cheeks were pink with color. She smiled brightly, just as pleased with his appearance as he was with hers. Her golden hair encircled her face in tight curls and ringlets, which Will enjoyed the effects of immensely. She delicately removed a yellow bud from behind her ear and placed it in Will's breast pocket, smiling up at him enticingly.

Will took her small hand in his and gestured outside. "Shall we?"

* * *

It was quite a beautiful wedding, for all that Tony was drunk. Florence looked the perfect blushing bride in her lace wedding gown, her appearance even having a somewhat sobering effect on Tony. Cathy had stood by as bridesmaid and a drunken Alex had stood behind Tony as man of honor.

As Reverend Mitchell conducted the ceremony, Scarlett noticed from her seat that Will and Suellen were leaning into each other.

"My God," Scarlett whispered, struck with the revelation, "She needs him...just as much as he needs her!"

Later, Scarlett delighted in sharing Alex and Stephen with Sally and Mary as dance partners. Tony couldn't be pulled from his bride's side, even when the negroes from downtown Amarosa began to warm up their fiddles and banjos.

Suellen watched the happy proceedings from the side, sighing. Even Pansy was having a good time, tapping her foot to the music and making eyes with the grizzled old black man playing the harmonica.

Will came up beside her, his hands in his pockets. He surveyed the dance floor, watching his wife out of the corner of his eye. "Rather be out there than here, I reckon."

"You reckon wrong." Suellen replied distantly. "This is the first time my corset's been laced at twenty inches since 1861. Any sudden movement is liable to make me feel faint."

Will looked slowly down at his pegleg. "Sorry I'm no good to you."

Suellen looked over at her husband. "Don't be, Will. I love you just the way you are."

Will looked at her for another minute, contemplating his wife. Finally, he offered his hand.

She placed hers in his, and he led her out onto the floor. He bowed slowly. Suellen, still confused, smiled and made a curtsy. Lifting her hand high, Will pivoted on his pegleg, turning her in a circle. His move was intended to be graceful, but like all things he attempted, it came off awkwardly. Suellen beamed at his effort. "Will, you're amazing!"

Will may have always been a Cracker, may have had the worst manners in all of Clayton County, and his looks were nothing to go on. But Will was a gentleman on the inside, where it counted. No one but a gentleman could put his finger more accurately on a person's faults, behaviors, and needs. And he was always heedful of what he knew.

Why was it that Suellen had been so blind to Will's attempt before? No matter how much it pained him, he would do anything to make her happy. Why was it she had only focused on the results before, and not the intention? How ungrateful could she have been?

Her eyes sparkling, she led Will out to the center of the floor. She proudly pranced in Will's ungainly circle, flouncing her husband's awkward dancing for all the party to see. This time, she truly was proud to be Mrs. Will Benteen.

* * *

Suellen let him come to her that night, determined to appreciate him for everything he was instead of everything he wasn't. Will had only smiled, shrugged, and went along with it. But every touch of his was filled with tenderness and devotion.

Will was a gentle, ardent lover. Suellen loved him for it. Will's love for her could never be put into words, yet it was always there. He always had the ability to make her feel pretty, loved, and independent in their lovemaking, which she realized was cherished and rare. He never failed to smooth her ruffled feathers, and tried so hard to please her in everything he did.

_I've always thought he didn't deserve me,_ Suellen thought idly. _I'm not deserving of him! For all I've been, he could have done far better! _The notion only made her kiss him back harder, happy he had chosen her.

She laid there, her arms curled around his neck, stroking his hair softly. She felt so safe with his strong arms around her torso. She kissed him again and again, finding it was the only way she knew how to pay reparations. His clear blue eyes found hers, asking a question. When she smiled her consent, his lips began to travel south of her mouth. Suellen sighed exuberantly, staring at the ceiling. No one would think someone like Will was capable of harboring such carnal lusts, but then again, there was something coarse and earthy lying just underneath the skin of every Southerner. She thought it was cute how Will asked her permission like that. She was lucky to be respected so.

"Will," She found her voice faint but throaty. "Thank you...for everything."


	12. Epilogue

EPILOGUE

Scarlett dipped her pen in the ink, poised to flourish her signature across the document. Over to her front, Will leaned against the fireplace, warming his hands. Boo lay at his feet. He looked up to catch the bemused expression on her face. "Why you hesitatin', Scarlett?"

"Just thinking, that's all." She sighed, looking down at the paper. "You see, this says I grant permission for Wade to be transferred to West Point military academy, at his request." She looked up again, lost in thought. "He always said he wanted to be a brave soldier like his father. Funny, I can hardly remember Charles."

She got up and moved to stand at the fireplace next to him. "It was really all so fast, I don't think I really took in what was happening. We had only been married a week when Charlie left for South Carolina. Then I received so many mushy letters from him, I thought I'd scream. After a month they stopped coming, and I was happy for it. I only received one more after that, two months after the day we married. It was from Wade Hampton, telling me Charles died of pneumonia and measles without ever seeing a Yankee. I had no remorse over him. I didn't love him, and I hardly knew him. The only things I cried over were the boredoms of motherhood and widowhood." She glanced at Will and smiled. "Course, I was only a girl then, but that still gives me no excuse. Sometimes I amaze myself with how heartless and selfish I really was."

Scarlett looked at Will imploringly. "I only married Charles to spite Ashley Wilkes, and it was in cold blood. I hope Suellen hasn't done the same thing to you. After all, her situation was very much the same as mine, losing the man she loved to her worst enemy..."

Will sighed audibly, running a hand through his hair. "No'm, she ain't. She's right good to me, Scarlett. Reckon I told you she'd be fine once she had a husband and kids to take care of."

Scarlett smiled. "You really love her, don't you?"

"I'm ashamed you even questioned it." Will grinned. "We were slow in coming, but we found our way."

"It's a rare thing, that," Scarlett crossed her arms, her brows furrowed meditavely. "When two people mutually agree that they love each other. I've missed that time and again, Will, and it drives me crazy. Rhett loved me more than anything in the world. By the time I realized I loved him too, I'd done so much damage to us that he didn't love me anymore."

Scarlett looked at Will, who listened patiently and nodded. "Oh, how wonderful to have someone like Will! She trusted him more than any other person on earth.

"Will...do you think he'll ever come back to me?"

He didn't have to ask who she meant. He had heard the helpless anxiety behind her words. He quietly chewed the straw in the corner of his mouth as he thought. Finally, his quiet drawl broke the stillness. "Can't say I do, Scarlett, but it ain't really my place to say. I've only seen the man 'bout four or five times in my life."

Scarlett quickly lowered her eyes, nodding. "That's it, then." She'd never known Will to be wrong about anything—with the possible exception of Suellen.

She looked out the window at Tara and laughed. "The last time I left here, I resolved to get two things—Rhett and Tara. Now I know I can never have either, and somehow, I don't care anymore. I have Cat to make me happy."

She shook her head, striding over to the desk and picking up her papers. "Cat and I will be leaving for Savannah tomorrow morning. I'll postmark this and mail it while I'm in Jonesboro, so you needn't worry about it." She tapped Wade's transfer papers.

She headed for the door and stopped, turning around to see Will scratching Boo's ears affectionately. She smiled at this simple, honest man.

"Thank you, Will Benteen. Take good care of Tara for me."

* * *

The simmering orb of the red sun peeped over the horizon, turning the color of the ground from clay to blood. Big Sam emerged from his cabin, singing in a hearty negro voice as he recruited the other servants for work.

"_Go do-ow, Moses! Waaa-ay do-own, in Eeejup laa-an!_

_An te-el O-le Faa-ro-o_

_Ter let mah — peee-pul go!"_

Will Benteen hitched his trousers and shaved before slipping a brogan on his only foot. He stumped down to the kitchen, grabbing his hat on the way.

Suellen had long since been up and turned from giving the children their breakfast dishes.

"Good mornin'," He greeted each and every one of them before turning to Suellen. "Mornin', darlin'."

She looked up from the bread she was baking and kissed him, smearing his face with flour. She ran a powdery finger down his nose, laughing, as she picked up a biscuit from the counter and shoved it in his mouth. "Didn't really think you'd get out of here without breakfast, did you?"

The corners of his eyes crinkled as he pinched her cheek before heading out the door. Boo obediently got up and followed his master.

Will stood on the porch a minute to survey the grounds. Acre upon acre of cotton smiled back at him, rewarding him for his long toils under the hot spring sun. The rows of the vegetable garden blossomed proudly. His loyal hands stood a few yards away from the house, waiting for his orders. Big Sam was already hitching the horses up, waving when he saw Will. The cow bellowed and Sherman whinnied from the barn, wanting to be milked and fed. The chickens clucked and fluttered and the geese milled about the yard closest to the house. Tara was worth all the money in the world and then some. He wouldn't trade what he had for anything.

Will smiled. "Reckon they ain't licked you yet," He murmured softly. He raised his hand back at Sam in a wave. Slowly, he stumped down the steps to start tending the day's work. After all, Tara was demanding, and there were only twenty-four hours to work with.

It was business as usual for Tara. And Will Benteen would be there the next day, and the day after that to make sure it got done.


End file.
